It Never Would'a Worked Out Anyway
by Kc495
Summary: Twenty-six years old and Hikaru's still got a crush on Haruh, but supposedly she broke his heart back in Highschool. But even so! He refuses to have Haruhi date anyone else. So he's been secretly scaring away all of her boyfriends by telling lies about her... I mean, a man would do anything for love wouldn't he? but... is anything, too much? how long can Hikaru keep it up?
1. Oh Lighten Up

_**It Never Would'a Worked Out Anyway **_

* * *

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Ouran High-school Host Club _**  
**_

**Song:** It Never Would'a Worked Out Anyway -: Brad Paisley

**Summary: **Twenty-six years old and Hikaru's still got a crush on Haruh, but supposedly she broke his heart back in Highschool. But even so! He refuses to have Haruhi date anyone else. So he's been secretly scaring away all of her boyfriends by telling lies about her... I mean, a man would do anything for love wouldn't he? but... is anything, too much? how long can Hikaru keep it up?

**Cast:** Hikaru H. / Haruhi. F / Kaoru. H / Ryoji. F /and more...

**Pairing:** Hikaru. H / Haruhi. F

* * *

**Oh Lighten Up**

* * *

_When you're in love with someone, it's a good idea to tell them so. If they don't know, then you'll be sitting in earnest. Then the next thing you know, that person you love is married to another, and you're filled with honest regret._

_I, have made that mistake... Being too nervous that she wouldn't return my feelings, I wouldn't tell her how I felt. Until I finally worked up the courage to tell her. It was our third year of Highschool, we were alone in our classroom, and I asked her to go out with me._

_She gave me the plain, instant replay of. "No"_

_Though, now that we're all older, we've all matured, we've all grown up. And I'm still very much in love with her. I'm twenty-six years old, three years fresh out of college and single. She's twenty-five, a college graduate of the best law-school in Boston, and she still doesn't see me as more than a friend._

_She still has no interest in me what-so-ever._

_It was a long time ago, ten long years since I tried admitting my feelings to a woman - Her in particular - and I haven't even tried to date anyone else. She's the one I wanted._

_And still want._

_She's dated a few men at this point in life, while I haven't had a single girlfriend. But it isn't like she's kept any of those men for long; four weeks is her record for the longest relationship she's had yet. And I know this, because I'm her best-friend._

_And if I can't have her... then no one else can either._

* * *

"So... I heard you don't like kids."

"Eh, I'm just one of those people. I'm just not interested in being a parent."

"Well, you do know that Haruhi has quite a bit of kids, don't you?"

"Um... She's never told me."

"Yeah, one biological, and she's adopted four others... All under the age of, _ten_."

"_Really_? and how do you know this? and I don't?"

"Well, I _am_ her second cousin after all... I know these things."

It was in the middle of the afternoon. The sun shown though that curtain'less windows of a small very commoner'ish looking café in middle of other random shops in a popular shopping district. Two people sat together, in front of each other, sipping on some coffee. And among those men, one of them, was a certain redhead. An evil smirk was hidden behind his friendly smile.

The other one, was a rather quiet man, his pure black eyes bore into golden ones, with his dark ash hair falling over his forehead, in a professional, neat and tiny way. He seemed to be the kind of person into books. _'A nerd'_ is what he was dubbed by the person he was sitting next to.

He was also a person a curtain brunette would be highly into.

The redhead, who was swirling his cup of coffee, was non-other than, Hikaru Hitachiin himself. He narrowed his eyes, wondering what woman could see in such a boring person. As, this dark-haired man in front of him, was Haruhi's new boyfriend.

Well... _Was_ her new boyfriend.

Soon to be her ex-boyfriend.

He was going to make sure of it, no matter what.

Shame really, Haruhi seemed to really like him, too.

Licking his bottom lip, Hikaru sat back in his chair (Which was highly uncomfortable to him) and crossed one leg over the other, still holding the handle of his coffee cup. He couldn't let this... _random guy_, take away his Haruhi. Who knew what kind of man he was behind those dorky glasses...

"My guess is that she's been lying to you," stating as though it were no big deal, as he ran a hand through his bright auburn bangs, Hikaru pressed his lips to the rim of his cup, to hide his smug smirk. "...She just wanted to go out with you, but she knew you don't like kids."

He could see the man's lips twitch, for some unknown reason, as he finally sat his mug down, and looked at Hikaru with a questionable gaze. "Seems strange... I don't see Haruhi doing something like that, she'd tell me something that drastic."

_He says that as though he knows her..._

Hikaru's bangs hid his eyes expression as he looked into his cup of swishing dark liquid. "She... keeps them pretty isolated, we're the only ones who really know of them really. They only come to visit her over the summer, they live most of the time with her ex-husband."

"Haruhi was _married_?"

"Oh yeah," resisting the urge to laugh, Hikaru lifted his head up and smiled lightly, raising his eyebrow in fake confusion. "I can't believe she hadn't told you about her marriage... That's okay, it only lasted two years anyway, and it was right out of highschool."

"_What_?"

"Honestly, it's like you barely know her at all," muffling a snicker, Hikaru had to take another drink of his coffee, careful not to choke. "I wouldn't be surprised if she hasn't told you about all her guy friends."

"Her _guy_ friends?"

Noting the genuine confused look on his face, Hikaru felt his heart twinge gently, knowing that he was breaking him. He could almost feel him beginning to snap. He was just waiting for that moment. "Yeah, her best friends... Tamaki, Kyouya, Kaoru? she's said something about them, hasn't she?"

The man scowled, as he looked down at his empty plate of appetizers. He looked up at the head-headed second cousin of his girlfriend's, and sighed, fiddling with his phone in his pocket. "She's never talked about any of them with me. I've never heard of them."

Hikaru shrugged his shoulders. "They just come over to her house to hang out sometimes... Nothing really to talk about anyway, I guess."

"There's a lot she hasn't told me."

"Well, her marriage and her kids aren't a subject she just tells everyone, it's kind of... a sensitive topic."

The man looked offended slightly by that, and Hikaru could just imagine a little something in side him snap-

"I... Think I'm gunna go... What was you're name again?"

_Uh..._

"_Ichiro_," Hikaru said, all too suddenly, and he knew it, so he bit his lip to keep himself from saying anything else. "...Also, don't tell her I've told you all this stuff, she... wouldn't like it if I were just blabbing out all her information."

_She'd be pissed._

Nodding politely as he walked away, Hikaru watched as he placed some money on his plate as a tip, and raised the corner of his lip up in disapproval, and slight disgust. Not believing someone like his beloved Haruhi, would go for someone so...

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a loud rumbling laughter from behind his shoulder, and he rolled his eyes, knowing who it was without even needing to turn around. A hand was placed on his shoulder, yet he stayed in place, not moving a muscle.

"And thus you ruin yet another good relationship."

"...He didn't deserve her anyway... look how fast he ran."

Grinning, his beloved other half, Kaoru Hitachiin sat down next to him, in the exact same seat Haruhi's boyfriend sat in. "You're a very cleaver liar, I was starting to believe you myself, so your Haruhi's second cousin this time? "

Hikaru rolled his eyes, listening to his brother laugh at him, he obviously only thought it was funny because _he_, unlike him, was happily engaged to his college sweetheart.

"Shut up," grumbling quietly, he stood up from his chair and adjusted his back (as though to indicate that the chair was just that uncomfortable) giving his twin annoyed glances. "What's so funny? this isn't the first time."

"Hehe... Is it even possible to be a second cousin? I can't believe he actually looked like he believed you...ah, my side hurts."

"I guess Haruhi's into gullible men."

"Well, she's obviously not into stubborn ones."

"..."

* * *

_Two days later _~

* * *

The sun was setting, illuminating the sky with a bright orange tint, the clouds were spread across the heaves like butter to bread, they were died a light pink color. Making the sky perfect for a picture.

The sidewalk glistened and sparkled from the rain water that fell from the sky earlier that evening, and light splashing of water could be heard beneath feet as people walked. Everyone was getting off work just then.

Walking up the steps of her apartment building, Haruhi Fujioka sighed and fumbled the random things that were in her pocket with her fingers, searching for her keys. She wasn't in the mood to say much to anyone who waved, and greeted her, but just casually waved back with a _"Hi", _or anything else simple that came to mind.

She was one of the few who had gotten off work early that day, and to her slight surprise, her boyfriend, took her out to a early dinner, and to add to her surprise...

He broke up with her before she left.

She didn't understand why. As he gave her some pretty bizarre reasons as to why they couldn't go out anymore.

He also made her pay for her half of the dinner.

Filling her chest with a big puff of air, Haruhi bit the inside of her cheek, adjusting the rather bag on her shoulder, not looking away from the floor as she walked up to her door.

It, or course, didn't wait for her to knock, as it swung open the moment she raised her hand to un-lock it. With her father's slightly surprised face greeting her in an instant.

"Haruhi, you're home," he exclaimed calmly, smiling a goofy grin at her as she walked past him. He looked to be dressed to go somewhere. "How was work today~?"

"...Fine."

"Good, good," nodding, with his red hair swishing off his shoulder, Ryoji looked into the empty hallway, and quickly shut the door behind his daughter. Feeling her shoulder brush against his side when she past him. "I noticed your packed lunch was on the counter, did you eat?"

"Yeah... I forgot it. I just got take-out."

"Good, I wouldn't want my bab-... Haruhi, what's the matter?" casting a concerned look towards his daughter, Ryoji puckered his cheek out and crossed his arms. "You look down? what happened?"

"Nothing really...just, a long day today."

He pouted.

"Want daddy to make you feel better~?"

"No, it's okay."

Feeling somewhat discouraged, Ryoji grabbed Haruhi's shoulders tightly, (as if he thought she would try to run away from him) and slowly guided her to the low couch, slumping her down himself, as he stared at her determinedly, stating firmly.

"What wrong?"

Haruhi looked at her father wildly, but after a moment of them just staring at each other, she sighed, leaning back into the cushions and crossed her arms to get more comfortable.

"It's really nothing."

"Yes, it is, you never come home sad looking! tell daddy what's wrong."

Haruhi scowled, crossing her legs, causing her pant leg to raise up her ankle a little. "Katsu... broke up with me today."

Ryoji gasped, placing his hands on his red, blush covered cheeks. His red lipstick cracked as his mouth opened wide. "What? why? what happened? did you say something that offened him? did he try to touch you in some uncomfortable places, and you told him no?"

"No..." hesitant, the twenty-five year old brunette pressed her lips together tightly in thought. "He... said it wouldn't work out between us anymore, and he left."

"What do you mean? i thought you've known this man for a couple a weeks, what happened?"

"He said that he doesn't like kids and that I have too many. He was upset that I didn't tell him I got married too."

"...Haruhi, if you were married I would have known about it. which I don't. You weren't married."

"That's what he thought anyway." Dropping her bag off to the side, she dusted off her shirt and went to the kitchen part of their apartment, searching for some coffee. "He said that my second cousin told him so and that I was lying. I don't even have a first cousin, not to mention a second one."

She raised her eyebrow, looking at her father suspiciously.

"Do I?"

"Not that I know of."

"Ugh, I give up on men."

"I agree, honey! take a break, make some coffee, go take a nice long bubble bath," Ryoji rambled on, waving his wrist as he flapped the skirts of his dress. "Anyway, I'll be back tomorrow morning, Haruhi, I have to go to work~"

"See you then. I guess."

Frowning, Ryoji left the room, shutting and locking the door behind him, leaving a confused and tired Haruhi in his wake.

She just sighed again.

_Men are so stupid._

* * *

Later ~

* * *

While in the bath, with bubbles covering her skin as she lifted her hand out of the warm water. Haruhi sighed, and leaned her head against the wall of the tub, closing her eyes in relaxation. Not worrying about anything until a thought crossed her mind.

_I wonder what the guys are doing... I haven't seen them in a while._

Moving her lips to the side of her mouth, she ran her wet fingers through her short brown locks that went to her shoulders, breathing heavily she blew a few suds off her shoulder.

Blinking her wet eyelashes, Haruhi turned her head to stare at her phone that was sitting on the edge of the toilet, she looked at it for a moment, before moving her wet hand to reach over and grab it. She scowled at the laminated screen, then began texting the first person who popped into her head.

To: Hikaru  
From: Haruhi  
Message: _Hi Hikaru._

And strangely, she got a rather quick response, almost instantly.

To: Haruhi  
From: Hikaru  
Message: _Hi Haruhi! :D whatcha doin~?"_

She rolled her eyes.

To: Hikaru  
From: Haruhi  
Message: _Taking a bath. I had a long day. I don't want to talk about it._

To: Haruhi  
From: Hikaru  
Message:_ Whhhyyy? do you want me to come over and make you feel better? D: and ooohhh, is our relationship that intimate that you want to text me while in the bath?_

To: Hikaru  
From: Haruhi  
Message: _I don't feel like being around any men right now. And there's nothing intimate about our relationship._

To: Haruhi  
From: Hikaru  
Message: _I'm not a man Haruhi, I'm your best-friend! and you're so mean... You know I've been sensitive ever since Kaoru got engaged!_

To: Hikaru  
From: Haruhi  
Message: _What is he doing?_

To: Haruhi  
From: Hikaru  
Message: _Sitting next to me, looking at everything you're saying. :b He says HI~_

To: Haruhi  
From: Hikaru  
Message: _He's not spending time with Ayumi?_

To: Hikaru  
From: Haruhi  
Message: _NO! he's spending time with me. And he wants to know why you're sad._

To: Hikaru  
From: Haruhi  
Message: _How did you know I was sad? I didn't tell you anything yet._

To: Haruhi  
From: Hikaru  
Message: _Uhhhh... I can read your mind through the phone?_

To: Hikaru  
From: Haruhi  
Message: _If you two must know, my boyfriend broke up with me today... He said I have too many kids. But I don't have any. I don't know why he thought that._

To: Haruhi  
From: Hikaru  
Message: _Whaaaat? that so weird, why would he do that? well that's okay Haruhi, he was a jerk anyway, right? you don't need him. :DDD_

To: Hikaru  
From: Haruhi  
Message: _You've never met him..._

To: Haruhi  
From: Hikaru  
Message: _Braking up with my best-friend automatically makes you a jerk! D: you should come with me and Kaoru next week, we're going shopping! shopping makes woman feel better, right?_

To: Hikaru  
From: Haruhi  
Message:_ But I don't need anything. There's no reason for me to shop._

To: Haruhi  
From: Hkaru  
Message: _So? I'm in the mood to buy something I don't need, so is Kaoru. Let's go on a 'I'm-going-to-buy-this-even-if-i-don't-need-it' shopping spree~!_

Haruhi didn't even reply to that last one.

* * *

On the other side of those odd random text-messages, Hikaru was biting his fist to keep himself from laughing out loud in victory.

Kaoru was just sitting next to him, shaking his head. "You're hopeless."

"Yeah, that's coming from the guy who's engaged yet still refuses to sleep with his fiancée in the same bed."

Sighing, as he thought of his twin as a lost cause, Kaoru got up and walked away to his room, but not before whacking his brother upside the head with a rolled up news-paper.

If only his brother would just confess already...

* * *

_**Here is chapter one to 'It Never Would'a Worked Out anyway', hope it was enjoyable, as there will be more chapters soon. **_

_**I have been working on this story for two months prior, i have based it off of the song, (which had the same title as the story) from non other than the great country music artist, Brad Paisley! **_

_**I hope you liked the first chapter, please review and tell me what you think of it so far, I would really appreciate helpful views as i am trying to improve my writing. **_

_**Thank you for reading. ~**_


	2. Where's your sense of humor?

**Where's your sense of humor? **

* * *

Three weeks later ~

* * *

_I know I'm jealous, but I can't help it. No one is good enough for her, no one ever will be, but... I love her, and even I know I don't deserve her, but I can't stand seeing her with anyone else, so even though she has already rejected me, I can't just stand by ands watch her be happy with someone else._

_Jealousy really has gotten the best of me._

_I'm starting to think that it's my only strong point._

Sitting in the living room of the apartment they shared, the twins sat on the couch together. One reading the newest addition of 'Japan's fashion times magazine' with the other one, was on his cellphone. They both had been quiet for a good amount of time, with a comfortable silence sitting between them.

It had been awhile since either of them had see their favorite little brunette. Two weeks ago, they had gone shopping with Haruhi, she hadn't asked for anything, and didn't by anything herself, yet she had gone home with a car load.

Hikaru, holding the thin paper magazine in his hands, leaned back into the couch, laying his head back, staring at the ceiling as he closed his eyes, not thinking of anything, as he fanned himself with his book.

All was peaceful, until his mirror image, whom was sitting next to him, said something out of the blue.

"Did... you know Haruhi has a new boyfriend?"

Hikaru's brow gained a few odd creases as his eyes popped open and he glared. He sat up straight and looked at his brother, who was holding his phone loosely in his fingers.

"No," he admitted hesitantly, looking at his brother suspiciously. "Why? how do you know?"

Kaoru shrugged, waving his phone in the air, before looking at it again, answering his brother in a mutter. "I was just messaging Haruhi, and she told me."

Hikaru sighed. Throwing his arms back, supporting his head at a comfortable position. "Well... she sure doesn't wait, does she? it's almost as if she's desperate."

"Not that desperate apparently," his reflection teased, falling back against the side pillows of the sofa. "I mean, _you're_ still single."

The eldest frowned, and nudged him in the shin with his toe. Now irritated, Hikaru leaned over and snatched his twins phone from his hand, having so sense of privacy when it came to his brother, he read the messages that showed up on the laminated screen. His attention only attracted to one message in particular.

To: Kaoru  
From: Haruhi  
Message: _I guess we're going out now. He's called himself my boyfriend a couple of times now, so yeah._

Scrunching his nose in a scowl, Hikaru locked his brothers phone and casually tossed it into his lap. Not wanting to have any more part of it. Then, childishly slumped back into his place, his arms crossed over his chest, like a child who wasn't getting his way.

"Well..." He grumbled, letting a long suppressed breath out from his parted lips. "What does he make it now? her third boyfriend in two months?"

"I suppose so," Kaoru agreed, looking at his other half curiously. "What're you gonna do about it?"

Hikaru gave him a dismissive shrug and kicked his leg over the other comfortably, not know the answer to that himself. "I dunno... we need to meet him obviously."

"You're dragging me into this, _again_?"

Hikaru flashed a grin towards his little brother. "Why would I want to meet a strange by myself?"

Kaoru rolled his eyes, looking down at his phone. He contemplated on warning Haruhi somehow of what his brother was about to do, but months earlier he had sworn to himself that he wouldn't interfere with his brother plans to ruin their friend life, and with Hikaru being his best-friend and twin, there was no way he could keep himself out of the drama.

"Fine," he eventually gave up, even though he really didn't have a say in anything they did. "But I'm staying in the car. But what makes you think he's even going to want to meet you? he doesn't know you at all."

Hikaru raised his eyebrow at him. "It's never mattered before... Haruhi's just attracted to dumb guys."

"Then how come she isn't attracted to _you_?"

"..."

"..."

"...Git."

* * *

Two days later ~

* * *

"So... you're Haruhi's coworker?"

"Yeah... We're been working on the same case together for the past couple weeks."

"...You're also her boyfriend?"

Sitting at his usual table, in that tiny café down the street, in that poplar shopping district, two men sat there, it was in the afternoon. A Sunday, when they had no work to do.

At that table, Hikaru sat in the chair next to the window, he had his lips pressed into a firm line as he stared absentmindedly out the large curtainless window. How long they had been there just talking nonsense was unknown to him, but he knew it wasn't that long.

He was thinking about Haruhi. Scaring away her boyfriends was exactly what he was doing, up until now he didn't feel bad about it. Now though, he was beginning to see what was happening, and he knew it was wrong. Though he also knew that he loved her, and there was no other way to get what he wanted.

He wanted her, Haruhi. But he couldn't have her. She didn't want him, she wanted... men like _this_ guy.

After his last comment, the light brown haired man, who looked the splitting image of 'professional' even sat in his chair with a neat and collected way, looked at Hikaru with a smug grin.

"Yeah," he said, with a smirk wide on his lips. Poking at his food that was in front of him. "...I guess you could say that."

Hikaru, tongue in cheek, continued to stare out the window. He licked the upper row of his teeth and scoffed. "I feel sorry for you then."

The man, whom was nameless to Hikaru, looked up from his tea, and raised his eyebrow, looking almost offended along with his confusion. "What is that suppose to mean?"

"Aren't you a law school graduate?" the auburn haired man muttered, finally rolling his head to look at the man. There was a hint of irritation in his expression. "Being in a relationship with her is going to make things a little difficult for you."

The man across from him blinked, looking more confused than before. "I don't understand... she has the same profession as I do."

"Well... I'd hate to be the one to break this to ya'..." Hikaru muttered, laying his cheek on his fist. "But, you know Haruhi kind of has been to jail..."

A look of disbelief flashed over the young man's face as he leaned his upper torso a little over the table, as if he needed to hear that last sentence again. His brow was raised almost to his hairline and he looked shocked to hear something so ridiculous.

"Haruhi's been to jail?" he parroted, sitting back into his chair, dusting off his shirt after landing against the edge of the table. "Sorry, I find that hard to believe."

"Well she doesn't talk about those days," Hikaru was quick to respond, rubbing his fingers together under the table. "Those were _bad days_..."

"Right, well..." The man with light brown hair raised his eyebrow and swirled his spoon around in his tea. "How do you know about this? and I've never even heard her mention it..."

Damn, why do all these guys ask the same question?

"I'm her best-friend," finally, something that wasn't a lie. He bit his lip as rested his elbow on the little round table. "I know these things."

"Yeah, okay. There just isn't any record of her being in jail. I mean... not that I know of."

"Well that just shows how much you know," snorting, though not in humor, Hikaru flicked the air with his fingers a few times before mindlessly looking back up at him. "That's why it would be a bad idea to continue with her, I mean with you being in law an all... it would get a little sticky, with her reputation."

The man, whom he had yet to remember what his name was, looked at him as though he had lost his mind. And Hikaru knew he was going to have to step up his game a little to convince him.

The guy looked down at his watch, trying to think of an excuse. "Uh... I think I'm gonna go. nice meeting with you I guess-"

"She doesn't have any record of her being in jail because she slept her way out of it..."

The man got up out of his seat, but he quickly sat back down. "...I'm sorry?"

"Yeah..." Glaring at the table, Hikaru cursed himself, for not thinking of something more clever. "She slept her way out of a year of prison and got out on probation, and uh... community service."

"...She slept her way out of it?"

"Yep. With the police officer."

"Huh?!"

"After they got donuts..."

The man's face paled. "Wha... why are you telling me this?"

"I'm just trying to help you out," Hikaru laid both his elbows on the table, laying his chin down on his entwined fingers. "I think she's not someone to mess with. I mean, you saw how her last relationship ended."

"I heard about it, actually," he looked at Hikaru suspiciously, and hesitantly stood back up. "But that doesn't have anything to do with-"

"I suggest you run."

"...What?"

"You heard me," Hikaru moved his eyes up to look at his concerned expression, his innocent mask covered his bad intentions. "Getting into law is pretty intense as is, you've worked hard clearly, and I don't want my friend to be responsible for ruining your career."

The man glared. "So... what do you think I should do then?"

Hikaru smirked. "_Run_."

And with that, the man grabbed his bag from the chair next to him, got up, and left. Leaving nothing in his wake other than a smirking Hitachiin. Who's face had an evil, cat-like look to it.

Hikaru's golden eyes watched him walk away, avoiding all the tables that were in his way, smoothly, and finally took his gaze off of him once he stepped out the door with a tiny chime from the bells on the doorframe.

"What a sucker..." He muttered, though not amused he sighed and stared at his abandoned coffee. Blowing into it, watching the liquid ripple. "_Honestly_, can't Haruhi date someone who isn't so gullible?"

"Maybe she prefers gullible men?" A deep voice came form behind his head. He was taken aback by it, but instantly settled down. "They're innocent and loyal. Typical stereotype."

Looking over his shoulder, he saw, sitting behind him, a man wearing a brown fedora, and dark sunglasses. He was holding that days newspaper, in the other hand, was a mug of steaming coffee.

Hikaru shook his head. "Where did you get that ridiculous getup?"

"I refuse to be apart of your scandalous crime, so I have finally found an excuse for outdoor cosplay," the man behind him explained innocently, dropping the deep tone. "And I have to say, that last one was a little difficult to swallow. Haruhi slept her way out of prison this time? Interesting..."

"Shut up," Hikaru's voice took a defensive turn, as he grabbed his bag and stood up. "He put me on the spot. I didn't plan on taking it that far."

"I wonder what she would say to that?" Snickering, Kaoru dropped his newspaper on the table and followed his brother. "You're pitiful bro, truly and utter."

Hikaru sighed, tipping his brothers hat over his face as he walked ahead of him. "_Please_, speak for yourself. You're engagement is pitiful."

"Just because I prefer to wait until marriage, does _not_ make me pitiful," Kaoru raised his finger up at him as they walked out of the café and walked to their car. "It makes me a gentleman."

"Right, right, okay. Don't worry brother, you know who to call when your fiancée laughs at you on your wedding night."

"Twenty-six and you've never had a girlfriend."

"..."

"..."

"...Sensitive topic, dude."

"I know, my bad."

* * *

Three days later ~

* * *

Haruhi, sitting at her couch, with her eyes plastered to the television but her mind elsewhere, was confused. Not just confused, she was, - how should she put it? - heartbroken? No, not quite... maybe just confused and a little depressed.

Her new boyfriend, of two weeks, just broke up with her. For no clear reason, whatsoever.

The last time she had talked to Akio, her now ex-boyfriend, he had told her that they just wouldn't work out, and that he was going to focus on his career, rather then worry about being in a relationship. He had put it gently enough, but she still felt humiliated.

As he had broke up with her, in front of a room full of people. As they had been in a large restaurant.

She didn't know what made him think that, since he was the one who had asked her to go out with him, but it couldn't be helped now. She was single again, and had gone through three boyfriends in the last three months.

It seemed odd, but she didn't dwell on it.

Haruhi sighed as she fiddled with the remote to her TV and changed the channel a few times until it stopped on a evening news. Something that was sure to take her mind off things.

Then, suddenly, her phone rang.

She scowled, dropping the remote in her lap. She looked around a few times in fruitless searches for her cell, but after a moment, as it rang the fifth time, she saw it on the table under her jacket and eventually got to it before the call ended automatically.

She unlocked it and pressed it to her face, not bothering to look at the caller I.D. But she had a feeling it was her boyfriend.

"...Hello?"

"Hey, Haruhi!"

"Hikaru?"

A happy, enthusiastic voice came from the speakers, causing a static ripple to flow through to her ear. She shook her head and switched the phone to her other ear.

She scrunched her face up and mumbled. "What're _you_ doing, calling this late at night?"

"Wow, hurtful..." On the other side of the phone, Hikaru's grumbly voice echoed. "Can't I call my best-friend on random occasions without being questioned? honestly Haruhi, you could be a little grateful that I put aside time out of my busy schedule to call you."

"_You_ have a busy schedule?"

"Yes Haruhi, you forget that I manage a company worth millions..." his sighed trailed longer than it needed to be and she rolled her eyes. "Anyway, I saw what time it was and thought I'd tell you goodnight before you went to bed, since you have a long day tomorrow."

"Oh... okay." shaking her head, she leaned into the pillows on the couch. She snorted sarcastically. "Thanks for being concerned."

"Yes, well... night."

"Night... wait."

"Yes?"

She paused, glaring at the floor as she spoke lightly into the speakers, confusion clear in her throat. "How'd you know that I have a busy day tomorrow? I don't think I've told you anything like that. In fact... I haven't talked to you in _days_."

"Well, Haruhi. It's called social media, I stalk you on Facebook and looked at your schedule."

She frowned. "That's pretty creepy."

"It's not creepy."

"Yeah... it's a little creepy."

"No it's not."

"..."

"..."

"...I'm gonna go."

"Me too."


	3. They're just Tiny Little Rumors

**They're Just Tiny Little Rumors**

* * *

Four Weeks Later ~

* * *

He was in his room, sitting slumped at his desk. Kaoru, his brother, was sprawled across his bed, in the room with him. They had finally gotten around to have a serious conversation with each other, about the youngest ones engagement and marriage.

Sadly however, that conversation was lost in the depths of the past and they were now spending their precious time together, talking about what they had for breakfast (As they were away from each other that morning) and woman.

Lots and lots of woman...

Preferably woman from magazines.

"You think the one of page twenty-four looks better than Ayumi?"

"No? I mean, obviously I can't really pick between my fiancée and an underwear model..."

"I think the one on the other side looks like Haruhi."

"You think everyone looks like Haruhi," On his brothers bed, Kaoru propped himself on his elbows as he flipped through his magazine. "So what? you told her last boyfriend she was an underwear model?"

"Nah," Hikaru stuck his tongue out as he skimmed through his timeline on Facebook, staring boredly at his laptop screen. "If she were an underwear model, _nobody_ would break up with her. The whole image of that is attractive."

Kaoru rolled his eyes, rolling over to lay on his stomach, as his shoulders were beginning to get sore from the position they were at. He sighed and held the magazine above his face, it was true that the book was just filled with half-naked woman and dirty jokes, and he was hardly the type to be interested in such a thing. Even so, he was till a man, and he was currently reliving his bachelor days with his twin.

Whom was still a bachelor.

And yes, he was never going to let him hear the end of it.

Payback for all those homosexual jokes back in high school.

"And besides," Hikaru muttered after a few moments of silence, laying his chin on his hand. "Haruhi doesn't have a boyfriend right now, so I don't have to worry about her."

Kaoru looked at him with a tiny smirk. "Good! now's your chance, it's been a reasonable amount of time since her last breakup, so she wont get suspicious if you confess now."

Hikaru scowled, spinning around on his chair, his hand pressed against his heart dramatically. "Are you mad? I'm not ready! I'll do that on my own time."

Kaoru sighed once more and fell back against the mattress, his arm fell to his side, with the magazine still in hand. "I'm so bored of this. Hikaru..." He wined. "I was wanting nieces and nephews before I got married."

Hikaru snorted in mockery. "Ha! at this rate, Tamaki's son will be married and have three kids by the time you're married. What has it been? five months now since your engagement?"

"...I don't see your point."

"You're a pansy."

"Gentleman," Kaoru corrected. "_Gentleman_."

"Uh-Huh."

The youngest Hitachiin twin frowned fought the urge to throw a pillow at his brothers large head. "You hardly know the meaning of word. Mister 'I-have-been-with-many-woman-but-has-yet-to-actually-date-one-of-them'."

"Neener-neener. You're a wiener."

"Shut up."

"You shut up."

"Get a girlfriend, and I'll happily shut up."

Hikaru flapped his wrist at his brother and rolled his eyes, as he had yet to take his eyes away from the bright laminated screen of his Facebook profile page. Ah, social media... the best place for stalking, gossip, and lies.

"I'm not interested in getting a girlfriend just yet," he said firmly, slumping his cheek on his fist. "Besides, for your information, girlfriends don't just fall from the sky."

"Okay, one," Kaoru held up a finger, as though he was counting. "You don't need girls to fall out of the sky, they show up at our doorstep. Two, get off Facebook and go find someone, go see what Haruhi's doing."

Hikaur stuck his nose up and looked back at his laptop. "You're not my mother. Why don't you go see what your _fiancée_ is doing?"

"I swear, does your brain just totally cut off when we talk about her?" Kaoru shook his head, flinging his legs over the edge of the bed as he sat up. "She's at her mother's house, fiddling with cake samples."

Hikaru frowned, giving him a quick glance before glaring at his computer again. "Ugh, this irritates me."

Kaoru narrowed his brow and leaned himself back on his hands, crossing one leg over the other. "What? what's that look for?"

"You getting married... _Ew_."

His face went blank. "You're so immature."

"You do know what married people do right?"

"The same thing you use to do, until Haruhi started dating?"

"Don't talk about those times," Hikaru crinkled his nose as he looked at his twin again, pointing his finger at him. "Those were _bad_ times. And bad woman."

"I'm sure they thought the same of you too."

"I feel like you just want to upset me on purpose, more than I already am."

"You put yourself in this situation dear brother."

Hikaru dropped the conversation as a lost cause and swayed his office chair a little with his foot, glancing one more time at his twin, seeing him lay back down with his phone in hand. He only guessed he was finding out of his beloved fiancée was doing. _Figures_. Hikaru just shrugged and turned back around, and continued to do what he was previously doing before he was interrupted.

And that was, doing absolutely nothing.

He liked it that way, it was such a stress-free activity.

He shook his head at how hopelessly in love his brother was with that woman he was engaged to and aimlessly scrolled down his newsfeed. He seemed out of it, emotionally, and physically. He didn't know what to o with himself, as the highlight of his days nowadays were him messing with his friends lives, since He really didn't have a life of his own.

A guilty cloud hung over his head, dampening his mood so suddenly, that he soon fond himself at Haruhi's Facebook profile. Something he had used countless of times for recent news on his favorite brunette. She never really posted anything on there, and mostly just used it to have pointless conversations with their friends who were currently out of the country.

He sighed in boredom, watching random stories pop up on Haruhi's timeline, the most recent was a picture of Tamaki holding a tiny replica of the Eiffel tower, in front of the real Eiffel tower. He was about to comment on it and tell him that he was lame, when something in the corner of Haruhi's profile caught his eye.

He was silent, until his mind finally registered what it was. He gaped his mouth open and put his hands to his hair, before screaming.

His scream was so sudden and unexpected, that on the other side of the desk, Kaoru dropped his phone in shock, and it landed right on his face.

It took him a moment, but eventually Kaoru scrambled, and sat up. Holding his fingers to his red nose.

"What? he muttered irritably, looking at his brothers freaked expression. "What's the matter with you? What happened?"

Hikaru took a deep breath, letting his hands fall, after mussing his bangs between his fingers. His eye twitched as he turned to face his twin, who was looking at him now, with a raised eyebrow.

"It's Haruhi," he managed to gasp, as he looked between his laptop and his brother a few times before stopping this rhythmic movement on the screen. "She's in another relationship!"

Kaoru sighed, his arm falling limb at his side. "Hikaru, quit stalking, it's creepy."

"It's _not_ creepy!"

"It is a little bit."

Hikaru ignored him and glowered the screen once more. The blue from the website, reflected in his golden irises. His eyes widened as he clicked on who exactly Haruhi was dating this time around.

He gasped all too dramatically.

"Oh my god, she's dating her mailman!"

Kaoru, now suddenly interested in his friends personal life, found himself standing over his brother shoulder, staring at the screen intently. His eyes flickered around her profile and looked right at the picture of the man who was supposedly her mailman.

He moved his lips to the side of his face thoughtfully. "I have to say... she doesn't have a bad taste in men."

Hikaru whirled his head to look at him, offended.

Haruhi was dating her mailman, yet she had rejected him so coldly when he confessed his undying love to her.

"She has a terrible taste in men," Hikaru huffed, sticking his nose up, throwing a hand out the side carelessly. "I mean, look at him! how-... She completely tosses _me_ to the wind, yet... she goes out with, _that_?"

"...I don't see anything wrong with him."

"For one, no one dates their mailman!"

"Maybe they hit it off when he brought her, her utility bills?"

"...You are totally not helping."

* * *

The Next Day ~

* * *

"...Right, that's what I said."

"Uh-huh, and your profession is _mail-delivery_?"

"That's right."

_I already hate him... He's got an attitude. Go back to your mail truck, geek. _

This time, it was a bar. Hikaru, was sitting in a small bar with Haruhi's new boyfriend. He wasn't impressive and it was hardly to his liking, but it seemed like a place where commoners would fit in, and he certainly didn't want to scare the man away. At least not with high formalities.

He had dressed himself in an outfit he was nonetheless ashamed of, considering his high status, but it was part of his plan. He wore a brown trance coat, dark jeans and greenish fingerless gloves. Everything touching him was professionally designed, but together, his outfit looked dorky. And Fit for a homeless person.

They sat at one of the random padded booths, two chairs surrounded the round wooden table. They were both silent as they held their glasses, neither of them finding the urge to speak to the other man who sat next to him.

Hikaru had called him (Haruhi's boyfriend) to have a meeting with him. It had been the same line he had told all the other men, and it was ("So you're dating Haruhi? well I'm her best friend. I think we should meet up somewhere and get to know each other before you two get anymore serious")

And like them all, he had agreed to meeting him. Though none of Haruhi's boyfriends ever called for another visit.

Namely because they all thought he was crazy.

Everything was peaceful on the outside, though on the inside, Hikaru was a mixture of anger, defeat, sadness, confusion, and he was completely at a loss of words. Despite everything, there was really nothing wrong with this man. He couldn't find a fault in his appearance, or attitude, or his accent, his stupidity, nothing... there was no reason for him to Hate him at all.

He was perfect. A perfect match for Haruhi.

That what he hated about him...

Everything this man said was intelligent, he had that certain glint in his eye, showing that he had some hidden pain in his past. He was polite, and just seemed like the type who could sweep Haruhi, the emotionless robot, off her feet.

He was perfect for her, and he wasn't.

Hikaru looked down and saw his hands had clenched into tight fists. He frowned and unclasped them, rubbing his leg, as though that would relieve the tension in his nerves. Being rejected over ten years ago, really took a bad toll on him, and watching this ordinary man so easily attract the woman he loved, irritated him to no end.

No matter what he did, Haruhi always just referred to him as a friend. He had gotten over it after their twenty-third birthday, and didn't care about it at all. Now though, after she had started going out with random men, bad memories resurfaced, and he vowed that he wouldn't let anyone else be happy with her, if he couldn't.

He was jealous, and he admitted it, but he couldn't stand it. All these men just didn't deserve her. She was too perfect for any man.

absent-mindedly, he had dropped the conversation they were having. Hikaru sighed after a moment and looked up at him, trying to find something he could use for material.

Material for his lies.

He opened his mouth, thought about it, and hesitated.

Nope. There was nothing. Nothing he could use to make him so away. To make him leave his Haruhi alone.

Wait... Haruhi. He could use Haruhi.

Hikaru furrowed his brow as he stared down at the table irritably. He could use Haruhi against him. Then, as he was thinking a word tumbled out of his mouth, the second he thought of the perfect candidate.

And that was...

"Debt..."

The man, sitting across from him raised his eyebrow curiously, not quite catching what he said.

"I'm sorry?"

Hikaru frowned, changing his expression to disappointment. "Haruhi's in debt."

The mailman looked at the fiery red-head, in dumbfoundment, not quite knowing how to respond to that with. "Uh... Haruhi's in debt?"

"Yeah... huge debt," Hikaru bit his lip, his eyes searching the room, for something to spark his creativity. He saw his brother a few tables down, flirting with one of the waitresses and smirked. "She's been in debt since high school. It's only gotten worse though. She just can't help herself."

The man, with pitch black hair raised his eyebrow and leaned against his chair, as he glanced at his drink with a distant stare. "Oh, she's never told me... She's a lawyers assistant, so I didn't think she'd be terrible at finances."

Hikaru shook his head."It all started with that Brazilian wax."

The man blushed. "Uh..."

"It was horrible."

"H-...How do you know about _that_?"

"I was once her boyfriend," with a wise finger raised, Hikaru gave a dramatic sigh and fell against his seat. "She stole all my money. I mean, _completely_ sucked me dry."

Growing concerned, the man pressed his lips into a firm line and looked around the room, wondering if anyone was listening in on their conversation. He licked his teeth and leaned over the table a little. With a confused grimace.

"She... stole your money, cause she was in debt?"

"She's my friend, but I just want you to be on your guard," Hikaru muttered, leaned in closer, so he could hear him. "She'll get you when you're least expecting it. And you, with your current profession, I image you don't have a very steady income either."

"...I suppose not."

"I'm just warning you, not to belittle Haruhi or anything," flapping his wrist, Hikaru shrugged it off completely. "She's my friend, but she's trouble too."

"Trouble..."

"I mean look at me," Hikaru exclaimed suddenly, making the poor mailman flinch. He mussed his fingers in his hair, disturbing his hairstyle. His eye twitched insanely. "I'm a hobo now!"

The man sunk into his seat, highly freaked out. "I-... uh-"

"Just think of this..." Hikaru said, almost in a whisper, cupping his hand around his mouth. "If you don't want to live in a box... I suggest you hide your wallet somewhere safe. And trust no one."

"Do-... Do you need help?"

"Twice a week as a matter of fact," Hikaru nodded. The gel in his hair he had suddenly messed up, helped made him look like a psychopath. Which wasn't a role he was looking for, but it worked. "I mean, for gods sake, I live with my brother now! She ruined me..."

His brow was twitching, as his mouth gaped open in astonishment. He gulped and looked down at his watch. "Um... my second shift is about to start, I think I'm going to go now...I'll, see you later."

Hikaru jumped up, throwing his hands on the man's shoulders. Shaking him violently. "The debt, don't forget the debt! she could steal your socks if you're not careful!"

The man shivered from Hikaru's expression, and opened his mouth to speak, to tell him to let go, but as he was about to do so, Hikaru's shoulders were grabbed and he was pulled back by another being.

The poor innocent man was even more freaked out when he saw an exact replica to the man, standing right behind the first one, so much that he looked faint.

"I'm sorry," the new man said calmly, with a sympathetic frown. Gripping on to Hikaru's shoulders as he held him back. "This man is highly unstable, please forgive him. His girlfriend really messed him up."

Haruhi's boyfriend took a deep breath, and opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He looked at the two of the new whom looked so strangely alike, and just then decided that it would be best to just leave.

And so he did. Rather fast.

Letting go of his brothers shoulders with a shove, Kaoru sighed heavily as his face scrunched up in a disapproving glower.

Hikaru sighed. "...Thank you."

"You're welcome." Kaoru gave one look to his brother's hair and shook his head. "That was really embarrassing."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Me neither."

"I feel like a fool."

"You look like a fool."

Hikaru pouted, running his hand through his hair, adjusting it the best he could. He closed his eyes and looked down at the floor. "I wanna go home."

Kaoru raised his eyebrow. "Wanna stop at your therapist first?"

"...Shut up."


	4. That I started cause I'm looking out for

**That I started cause I'm looking out for you**

* * *

One month Later ~

* * *

"She was a what?"

"A stripper."

"Haruhi was a _stripper_?"

"Currently still is actually, don't tell her though. It's kind of a personal matter. I just thought you should known."

"...How do you know then?"

_Again? How many of them are going to ask me this?_

"I'm a friend. She only tells those who she's really close to, though. It isn't something that she wants to brag about."

Sitting on a bench in a park. Hikaru sat with someone who claimed to be Haruhi's new boyfriend. Whoopty-doo. he wasn't concerned. Especially as the new guy didn't seem all that hard to convince. Neither did any of her old boyfriends, but still, this one was a sucker. He could tell.

He was a dentist, and a halftime preacher. Haruhi had told him over the phone, she talked about him, and what he did for a living (Hikaru called it bragging) and like before, he found the person on Facebook, messaged him saying he wanted to meet him, and without Haruhi's knowing, he did.

And there they were. Sitting together on a bench, talking about mindless things, mostly religious. But Hikaru wasn't interested. And he had thought of the perfect thing to scare away the preacher slash dentist.

This time, he told him Haruhi was a stripper.

The man frowned. Hikaru knew his name before, but unfortunately he had forgotten it awhile ago from all the religious related comments and speeches.

_Haruhi has perfect teeth, so she doesn't need you. Go away._

He was glad none of them couldn't read his mind.

"I guess you two have only been dating for a week, so of course you wouldn't know." Hikaru flapped his wrist dismissively. "Though you are part of a church aren't you? Hmm... I could have sworn that, that would cause a bit of havoc with the other members. I wonder how they would feel about it."

"What was that?"

"Oh nothing, I was just rambling to myself." He smiled, looking back at the preacher. he was shorter than he was, but not by a lot. Not so much that he could see over his head. "I'm sure it wouldn't cause any trouble for you at all."

"I just remembered." the man piped up, standing up instantly as he looked at his watch. "I have an appointment scheduled in an hour. I really should get back to my office."

Hikaru nodded smugly, with a tiny smirk hidden behind his lips. His wiggled his fingers at him in riddance and after a few moments of watching him walk to his car, he stood up and stretched.

"Well, that was easy."

* * *

The sun was falling and casting an orange tint to the cloudy horizon. The air was warm, but no one was out enjoying it as rain sprinkled the sidewalks with drops of water. The rain was interrupting the warm evening.

Standing outside of the door to his apartment, Kaoru took a deep breath of the aroma of his building and smiled to himself in pure happiness. He was engaged and was getting married in six months. Sure, he felt a bit hesitant about it, (not quite unsure) because he'd be getting married to the love of his life, while his beloved twin brother was wasting his life away on random woman he didn't even like, while fantasizing about a woman he refused to confess his undying love to.

It made him feel bad, in all honesty. He wanted to be happy and live his life with the woman he loved but also didn't want to leave his brother in the dust. They had been together since the womb and he wasn't about to leave him behind now.

But... Kaoru was losing hope that his brother was going to pull his foot out of his butt, so he was doubtful the he was going to get anywhere in his life.

Unlocking the door to his and his brother's apartment, he swiftly slipped inside and casually shut it behind himself. Sighing heavily, he looked around, as noticed that all the curtains in the house were closed and every light was turned off. Making it look rather dark inside.

He blinked, utterly confused.

"Hikaru," he called out, but there was no response. Still in the doorway, his hand tapping against the wall, searching for the light switch. "Great... This doesn't make me feel like I'm gonna get killed tonight."

He pursed his lips oddly until he found the switch and turned the light on. He took a second to look around the suspiciously empty room and raised his eyebrow at the eerie feeling he got. Something was wrong, he had left his brother home for only an hour to shop for more coffee, but once home, there was no sign of his brother.

Although there was a trace of someone who had been there... all over the house. Clothes led to the kitchen, in a very scary order, from a jacket, a shirt, pants, shoes, and socks ending at the door of the kitchen. he raised his eyebrow, looking at all the female clothes on the floor, wondering if his brother suddenly picked up the habit of cross-dressing.

He sighed, his brow twitching in annoyance as he walked over and picked up the light pink jacket that was laying there. To a woman he guessed it would go down to her knees. He rolled his eyes and threw it off to the side, ignoring all the other pieces of clothing that were there, planning on telling his twin to pick up his mess later.

He rolled his sleeves, still holding his paper bag full of groceries as he got to the slid-open kitchen door. He took a deep breath but stopped himself from moving as he heard some light, muffled giggles from behind it.

Getting a bad feeling, Kaoru raised his eyebrow and slowly pulled the door back, but as curiosity got the best of him, he couldn't stop his hand from pushing the door all the way open. His eyes nearly popped out of his head at what he saw in there.

In the kitchen, on the counter next to his beloved coffee pot that Haruhi had taught him how to use two years prior, was a long-legged, long blonde haired woman, sitting on the counter with just her undergarments on. His face flustered dark red and he screamed in pure horror.

His scream triggered her ears and she looked over at him. Her big brown eyes widened as she screamed along with him, covering her chest with her arms, and crossing her legs. Though she didn't bother to move her spot.

Kaoru had dropped his bag in shock from seeing a half naked female in his house and backed up, his mouth still wide open. He took a deep breath, with his mouth moving but being too shocked to get any words out he looked more like a fish out of water than anything.

He pointed a shaking finger at her and let out a breath he wasn't even sure he was holding.

"Who the hell are you!?" he gasped inwardly, looking around the room, searching for his twin. "How did you get in here?"

The woman opened her mouth. "I-"

"And get your butt cheeks off my counter!" he said more in shock than in anger. "That's where I make my coffee!"

With that, she hurriedly slid off the counter, with a timid squeal, and walked behind the marble island with her bare feet pattering against the tile of the floor. She grabbed a towel from the stove handle and covered her chest more appropriately.

"I-... I thought you were Hikaru!" she said, holding the towel to her chest tighter. "I didn't know he had a roommate..."

"Roommate?" Kaoru muttered, distracted by that for a moment, then waved his hand at her. "Whatever, never mind. Just get out! your little boyfriend is in for it when I find him."

"You mean..." she frowned. "He isn't here?"

"You came in here not knowing that?! Get out!" He looked at her for a few more minutes, wondering what on earth she was trying to pull sitting in her underwear next to his poor innocent coffee pot. He glared and turned around to look at the door. "Hikaru, get in here, right now!"

Everything was silent as he tapped his heel against the floor, obviously irritated with everything that was was awhile before he heard footsteps near the door, and stepped back from the door as it opened. Revealing his brother.

"Kaoru..." his twin mumbled, sticking his head in the door before stepping inside. He pressed a towel to his wet hair. "What're you screaming about? I swear you sound like a girl from up... stairs."

Hesitating in his speech, Hikaru glanced up to the counter and saw the woman. He raised his eyebrow for a second, thinking it was his brother's fiancée, and that he had just walked in on something intimate until he looked at the woman's facial features and hair color.

He screamed.

"Ahhh! what the hell are you doing here?!" he shouted, instantly taking cover behind his younger brother. "Stop following me!"

"Hikaru!" the girl beamed, dropping her towel suddenly as she raised her arms up. "Hikaru, I've been waiting for over an hour. You take such long showers."

Hikaru gave her a freaked expression, one of almost fear. "...You... you're stalking me?"

She frowned, dropping her arms as she walked around the counter, revealing herself in only her undergarments. Making the twins back up (or rather Hikaru backing up while dragging Kaoru in front of him for a shield).

"You haven't called me since you left that morning, I was beginning to think you forgot all about me." She sighed and stepped closer, making the two other them back way again, until their backs hit the wall. "So I wanted to surprise you. This is the time you're supposed to be home from your long-term business trip, right?"

Kaoru glared over his shoulder. "Business trip?"

"I can explain," Hikaru raised his hands up defensively. "Look... I meant to call you after that night-"

Now the woman glared. Her glare was so cold it made even Kaoru shiver. "You meant to?"

"Yes, but I didn't because-"

"Because?"

"Because you're crazy."

Her eyes turned into fireballs and Kaoru flinched, only glad that they weren't aimed towards him. "Crazy?"

"And you just move way to fast," Hikaru nodded, holding his hands up as if he was blocking himself from her fiery eyeballs. "I mean, you were already naming our children. I felt intimidated."

"Intimidated? I thought you loved me?" Now insisting that she was the victim, she glared even colder. "If you didn't want to see me again why did you leave your shirt on my floor?"

Hikaru was silent and scowled in disgust. "...Because your dog was sleeping on it."

"You could have just moved him."

"If I had done that he would have woken you up, and I would have had some explaining to do.

Her eyes looked at him coldly, clenching her hand in a tight fist. "You're such a jerk!

"Well..." Hikaru licked his licked his lips, holding his hand to his chest. "I'm hurt. How will I ever find another girl like you?"

"Don't mock me!" Walking closer to the twins, she clenched both her fists and stuck her nose up at him. "I should never have liked you in the first place. Don't bother to call me now. You've lost your chance."

Hikaru just waved, until Kaoru elbowed him rather hard in the ribs.

"So you never liked me? then you shouldn't have wanted to be in a relationship." Fighting the urge to want to slap him, she glared harder and got to her tiptoes. Their noses mere inches apart. "Next time, don't lie to a girl. You insecure bastard."

"I didn't lie," he retorted, scowling as though he had just been insulted. "I just didn't tell you the truth."

"And you live with your brother?! You said you lived alone."

"That just comes from the fact I didn't want to tell you my personal life. We've only known each other for five hours, why would I want to tell my living situations to a stranger?" He looked at her with an offended frown. "And I don't live with him, we live together!"

"Whatever," she flipped her hair and stepped back, ripping her jacket out of Kaoru's hands and awkwardly slipped it on. "You're so infuriating. I never want to see you again. Hikaru Hitachiin. Don't even think about me."

"I haven't so far."

She looked at him and screamed in her mouth, with her lips shut tightly and raised her hand up to slap him, but before she could the kitchen door slammed open behind the twins and all three of them flinched from the sound it made from hitting the wall.

None of them moved as they just stared at each other, Kaoru didn't want to know who was there, and Hikaru was fearing it was another one of his ex-lovers, coming to insult him as well, but they only turned around when there was another scream.

"Kaoru!"

Kaoru jumped, slightly frightened by the sound from the doorway, and hurriedly turned away from the half naked woman who was still currently nameless to him (he didn't bother meeting his brothers woman friends - not that he stayed with one long enough for him to meet them) and looked towards the door.

His gaped his mouth open in pure horror.

"Ayumi?!" he gasped, being greeted with the red face of his beloved fiancée. Wha-... what're you doing here?!"

Standing in the hallway, was Ayumi, Kaoru's fiancée. Her light brown hair was pulled up into a shoulder length curly ponytail. Her big brown eyes were wide with shock as she stared at the woman in the middle, who was still just wearing her jacket over her under clothes. Her jacket wide open as she hadn't gotten to button it up yet.

"Kaoru... who-..." She stuttered, ignoring her soon to be brother-in-law as she pointed her finger at the girl. "Who is she? what is she doing in your kitchen?! and half exposed?!"

"Look, I can ex-"

"Are you cheating on me!?"

"What!? no! She's..." Kaoru looked at the girl, then to his brother with a cold glare. "...I don't know who she is."

"Oh, sure," Ayumi rolled her eyes, slumping her hands on her hips, glaring at her fiancé. "That's what they all say, you better explain yourself. I thought you said you were working late today?"

"No, no, no," Kaoru held his hands up, walking over to her, grabbing her hand tightly as he pulled her close. "See, what I said is that I'll be working later, not 'late' today. We haven't left yet."

"Uh-huh."

He looked down at her doubtful expression, which also looked a little irritated and hurriedly pointed at his brother. "Look, it's his naked woman. It's Hikaru's. I really have no idea who she is. Honest."

Hikaru glared.

"..."

"Babe?"

"..."

"I love you?"

Ayumi glared at the woman until her eyes traveled to Hikaru. he stared at him for a few long moments, as he and the woman got into another argument with him being a 'jerk', then innocently cocked her head to the side, as she rolled her head around to Kaoru.

"Oh," she said, smiling. "Well never mind then. "Well since you're not busy, I need you to come with me downtown my mama's house to try the cake samples. I can't decide by myself."

"...Will I be there long?"

"Probably not. There's only fifty different kinds. I didn't even know there were that many kinds of cake."

Kaoru sighed.

"Okay listen," Hikaru said suddenly, to finish their argument. He glared at the blonde who was standing fairly close to him and grabbed her hand. She tried to pull away but eventually stopped struggling against his tight grip. "I know, being a douchebag and all. That was a jerky move. How about I make it up to you over dinner?"

She looked at him suspiciously. "...Dinner?"

"Yep. You and me. Okay? nothing else. Just a very innocent meal during eight? how's that sound?"

"Well..."

"Totally my treat."

"I guess so... but you can't skip out!"

"Wasn't even thinking about it."

As he gripped her hand he lead her out of the kitchen, and through the living room, leaving his brother and his fiancée alone to talk about cake. He cursed himself for getting himself in this situation and led her to the front door, after grabbing her clothes off the floor.

"And don't forget to come with clothes this time," he said, pulling her arm to help her out the door, even though she was fully capable of doing it herself. "I'll call you. Tomorrow at eight?"

"Okay... but Hikaru-"

"I'll pick you up, don't worry. You don't have to worry about anything."

"Okay, fine."

He smiled, it looked almost sincere. "Alright... Kimiko. See you then."

"My name is _Akemi_..."

"Right... Kimiko's my secretary... Anyway. Bye!"

_Slam-_

Hikaru sighed heavily as he fell against the door after he slammed it shut with more force than needed. He ran his hand through his hair, wondering why he was such a dirty man.

"You're not going to dinner are you?"

Hikaru turned around and saw his brother, it looked like he was hiding something behind his back, but he didn't other to see.

"No?" he huffed standing up straight before waving his hand in dismissal. "She's crazy. And, to be honest, I'm pretty sure I've never seen her before. Her name does not ring a bell."

"And you're not gonna call?"

"_Nope_."

"..."

"..."

"You're so gross. You need to be cleansed!"

"Ahhh!"

And instantly, Kaoru pulled out a squirt bottle. It's trigger pointed right at his brother's face. It was really the only way he was going t learn.

"Ahh! Okay, okay. I get." He held back his laughter as he held up his hands to block the rather strong pressured squirt bottle. "This won't happen again!"

"No more nasty women!"

"Okay, She was the last one. I promise!"

"Bad, bad, bad." Kaoru scolded. Squirting it every time he said 'bad'. "If one more woman comes here with only her undergarments keeping me from seeing her personal area I'm telling, Haruhi."

Hikaru sighed, walking up close enough to grab the bottle. Now almost soaked he ripped it from his brothers hand and squirted at him instead. In the face. "I said okay. No need to tell Haruhi. She doesn't need to know about this."

"Riiight." Kaoru grabbed his bottle from his brother's hand, but this time he put it on the table. "Also, you're going in the kitchen and apologizing to Ayumi."

Hikaru grimaced in disgust. "Why do I have to apologize to _her_?"

"For your woman! She saw her half exposed in our kitchen. She thought I was cheating on her."

"She was _not_ my woman. Okay? She was a mistake."

"A very dumb mistake."

"Yeah, I know, you-"

"A very, very, dumb mistake."

"Yes, alright-"

"A very, very, very, dumb-"

"_I get it!_"


	5. I'm Just A Little Jealous

_**I'm Just A Little Jealous** _

* * *

_Haruhi had a new friend after the dentist she was seeing just stopped seeing her all of a sudden. Of course, why wouldn't she? She only the prettiest girl living in Tokyo Japan today, so obviously there's a line of men just waiting to have a chance with her. _

_I'm one of those men so I suppose I shouldn't insult them. Expect for me, unlike them, I refuse to confess to her and as her out. But I have already confessed to her once and that didn't work out. If I tell her how I feel this time and have her reject me, I don't want our friendship ruined and become awkward. _

_What I'm doing is wrong, I know that now, but I still can't help it. She's the woman I love, yet can't have. If she gets too comfortable with one of these strangers then I'll lose her forever. I'm too jealous. If she doesn't want me I should just back off, but of course I can't._

_Though it really can't be that bad, I'm just looking out for her. She's so oblivious that she doesn't know who she's walking into in the streets. I'm just... protecting her. I've gone a little overboard on some cases._

_But... this time I think I've gone too far._

Sitting at the table of his and his brothers apartment in the living room, Kaoru sat with an inch tall pile of papers in front of him. All for different things, such as things he needed (After being demanded by his fiancée) to write out for their wedding preparations. Since they had no been engaged for eight months and planned on being engaged for at least eleven months before they got married. Kaoru could wait longer if he had to, but Ayumi wanted to get the whole things over with and have babies.

He also could wait on having babies but after she had informed him that he was getting old and they couldn't wait forever, he just decided to go along with whatever she wanted.

Hikaru had told him multiple times that he was pushed around by his fiancee, ever since they had started going out in college, but Kaoru refused to admit it.

Now he was ready to admit it.

_'Kaoru, do this' _

_'Kaoru, do that'_

_'Kaoru, eat this, even though I'm sure it will damage our health' _

_'Kaoru, let's have babies even though you're not ready yet' _

_'Kaoru, let's name them all after my dead grandparents' _

_'Kaoru, does this dress make my butt look big?'_

Kaoru swore, that no matter what she wore, it didn't change the shape of her butt.

Kaoru sighed, reminding himself that he loved her. He loved her a lot, so he should just put up with everything she threw at him. Even if some of those things were... to eat her cooking, which almost always tasted like bacon grease on a used good year tire. He'd just had to suck it up because... he loved her.

He loved his brother too, but sometimes he got on his nerves, yet he managed to live his whole life with him, so it really couldn't be too hard to live the rest of it with her.

The woman he loved.

He sighed again and pushed all the papers aside, deciding that after one paper, he needed to take a break and have some coffee.

Slam-

Well... was about to have coffee, until the front door of his apartment was slapped open, hitting the wall so loudly it rang in his ears.

Kaoru looked up to see who it was though he really only had two people to pick from he really didn't have to think too hard about it. But from where he was at in the apartment, he couldn't tell you had just stepped in. Since he was in the kitchen behind a closed door.

As the person's footsteps came closer, he knew who it was instantly. Their shoes did not click against the floor delicately with tall heels but stopped against the floor with heavy shoes, as though the person wearing them, was easily aggravated and decided to take their irritation out on the floor. He sighed at the thought of that and didn't even bother to get up from his chair, and slumped his cheek down on his fist.

As the kitchen door was opened with a violent push, his guessing was correct. Their person in question was his brother and like recently,  
he didn't look very happy.

He raised his brow and kept his eyes on his twin as he walked into the kitchen with heavy footsteps. Pursing his lips together and watched as he walked over to the side of the table where he sat. The next thing he knew, his brother's arms were around his shoulders in a tight embrace.

Kaoru frowned in confusion.

"You're home earlier than I thought you'd be," he muttered, feeling his older brothers hot breath on his neck. He wasn't uncomfortable in his arms, but he was confused. "...Hikaru, what're you doing?"

"...I love you, Kaoru."

"...Are you drunk?"

Offended, Hikaru stood up straighter, loosening his arms from around his little brother's shoulder, but didn't let go completely. He pouted and laid his chin on his shoulder. "No. Why would you say that?"

"Cause you said you loved me... sorry it just sounded weird."

"...It's cause I love you. You use to like it until a certain _someone_ came into the picture, is that what it is? you can only divide your love to a certain point?"

"It's nothing like that, drama queen," Kaoru sighed in hopelessness and poked his brother in the forehead, causing Hikaru to poke him back. "You only tell me that when you've done something bad and want me to forgive you, or... you want something from me, or want me to do something for you. What'd you do this time?"

"...Nothing," Hikaru pouted once more, sucking out his lips in a sulk. "I just wanted to tell you that."

"You did something, _didn't you_?"

Hikaru's frown deepened. "Now you're just being mean."

Kaoru raised his brow higher and hesitantly gave his arm a pat, which was still wrapped around him. He felt his brother's arms hold him tighter and eased into his chair. Moments later Hikaru's arms slipped from him and he made his way to his own chair at the table. With a huge sigh he slumped down into it, instantly laying his chin on his arm as he slouched over the table top. Their odd hug now in the dust and unimportant.

"I did something," Hikaru mentioned, making Kaoru roll his eyes at him and look at him hopelessly, as though he wasn't surprised. "But it was nothing to you, and I don't want anything from you, so you can just drop it right there."

The younger twin merely shrugged his shoulders and stood up, going to the counter to make some coffee. Ignoring his older brother completely as he sighed again, indicating that he didn't want to be ignored and wanted him to say something about what exactly he did, but he did not.

Hikaru watched his brother make his beloved coffee, something he had become nearly addicted to since he got engaged, (he couldn't help but this his brother's fiancee was the cause for such an odd addiction) but he stayed silent. Still slightly appalled that his brother just gave his arm a pat rather then hugged him back. He blew out his parted lips and made them vibrate annoyedly.

Kaoru twitched, placing his cup on the counter to look at his brother with a bored gaze. "Alright, what is it?"

"Well..." pausing to add a dramatic effect, Hikaru bit the inside of his bottom lip and laid his cheek on his arm that he used as a pillow. "I uh... I went to see Haruhi's new friend earlier."

Kaoru huffed, and turned away. "I know. You told me before you left."

"But on my way home I started thinking..." Hikaru licked his lips in thought, recalling what had happened, in his mind. "And I've had this weird feeling ever since I left... Kaoru, I-... I could barely sit there with him. I don't even think I got my point across to him, I just left."

"You just left?" The seemed like something Kaoru was having a hard time believing. "Why? you were the one who wanted to meet him and get him away from Haruhi."

"But... I felt kind a sick afterward..." Explaining this, Hikaru frowned harder at the table and fidgeted oddly in his seat as he turned his head cockeyed on his arm. "I don't now why though."

Kaoru who was holding his still empty coffee cup looked away from his brewing pot and raised his brow at his brother. "Was this before or after you told some ridiculous lie about Haruhi to get him to stop seeing her?"

"I-... I couldn't finish. I left before he did."

Kaoru scrunched his nose up in confusion. That didn't sound right. Not once had his brother failed to lie to a man to get them away from the girl he liked. He laid his cheek on his hand and said in a know-it-all tone. "Did you get this strange feeling down in the pit of your stomach or had this little voice in your head telling you what an ass you are? or what?"

"Kind a except... minus the ass part."

"It's called guilt, Hikaru."

"No..." Hikaru argued with a sigh, speaking in a light voice. He raised his head and looked out the large window that was above the sink with a frown. "I don't get guilty. I've done too many things on purpose to be guilty."

Kaoru just shrugged. "Even asses get guilty."

"...Don't forget, you were in on this too until just recently," He glared back at him little brother sitting up before slumping his back into the un cushioned chair. "You've been doing this with me since college when Haruhi started looking like a girl and had guys flying around her like fly's."

"We were in school Hikaru, we were kids." Kaoru shook his head, saying gently with his brow furrowed. "We're all too old for all these games now, this isn't just you and me shooing away annoying teenage boys away from our friend. You're telling lies about Haruhi so her boyfriend will break up with her. She hasn't done anything yet all these guys think bad about her for things that aren't even true."

"I mean, it's their dumb fault for believing in such stupid things but..." Kaoru continued, glancing over at the table to make sure his twin was listening. "This isn't school, it's just life now, Hikaru... and it isn't funny anymore."

Hikaru flung himself over the table again. His body didn't know how it wanted to sit. His short fingernails dug into his skin as he folded his arms. "...it was never funny to begin with."

Kaoru sighed, watching the steam float from his cup of hot liquid. "...Hikaru?"

Hikaru glanced up, with a raised eyebrow, and Kaoru continued.

"...Why don't you just tell her, and stop all this?"

Hikaru looked back down. "...Because she doesn't feel the same. I've been there, Kaoru. I've been humiliated once like that and I don't want to do it again."

"You've been there ten years ago. You don't know what has changed if you don't go back," Kaoru couldn't help but add. "But if you're not going to try, then give up. I'm sorry Hikaru but... If Haruhi already rejected you, I don't see why you should keep fighting it."

Hikaru was silent. He was quiet for a long time, and while Kaoru sat back down in his chair he finally decided to end it.

"...What'd you tell this guy, this time?"

Hikaru seemed hesitant, but as he figured that it was already over, he didn't see why he should hide it. "That uh... that she was born a guy, bu at twenty she decided to have a change."

Kaoru closed his eyes, his lips were on the rim of his cup, but he spit out his coffee back into it. "And he believed that? that's insane! Haruhi, a guy? I mean, high school, yeah, but she hardly looks like a guy now. What the hell, Hikaru?"

"But..." Hikaru said, as though whatever he was saying would justify himself. "But I felt bad after saying that so... I told him I knew that because I had a change with her and that I was originally a female."

Kaoru resisted the urge to slap his own face, but as he opened his mouth, Hikaru continued. "He looked pretty freaked out, I left before he walked away, but I'm pretty sure we won't see him again anytime soon."

Kaoru moved his lips to one side, just imagining how that conversation could have been. Though just as he was about to stand up and leave his brother alone to think about what he was going to do, a few calm knocks at the door stopped him from moving. he glanced up curiously at his twin, but Hikaru was already getting out of his chair and walking out of the kitchen.

Kaoru shook his head, deciding that he didn't want to get up. It was probably someone for Hikaru, as Ayumi would just walk right in. And He wasn't in the mood to deal with crazy half-naked ex-lovers.

* * *

It didn't take Hikaru long to walk to the door of the front room of his apartment, but as there were only a few knocks, he was beginning to think that it was just the mailman. Once he got to the door, he took a deep breath, and lazily flung the door open with a flick of his wrist.

Though who was standing there was not someone he was expecting.

It was Haruhi.

And she didn't look very happy.

Hikaru blinked. His eyes wide with surprise as he looked up and down at Haruhi. Her bangs shadowed her expression as she stared down at the floor. He opened his mouth to ask what she was doing there, but before he could get any words out, she stepped forward and her face fell against his chest.

He gasped from the sudden contact and stumbled backward a step. He blinked his wide eyes as she wrapped her arms around the lower torso. She rubbed her face into his shirt before turning her face to the side to breathe. "...Hi, Hikaru."

"Haruhi wha-... What're you doing?"

"...Hugging you."

"Wh-... why?"

"...Because I want one."

A dark blush instantly drowned his face.

Hikaru frowned. His arms stayed at his sides as he looked down at her. He felt her cheek press against him as she hugged him a little tighter and after a few moments of letting his shock tone down, he hesitantly wrapped his arms around her lower back. "Why? What's the matter?"

"Sorry I didn't call before coming over, dad was making a lot of noise at our place, and I didn't really know where I was going until I was already in front of your apartment." She explained, squeezing her arms around him tighter. "You're not busy, are you?"

"No!" She flinched from his instant, enthusiastic reply and raised her eyebrow up at him as she looked up. WHih was when he blushed darker like a school girl with a crush and corrected himself. "I mean... no. I'm not, neither is Kaoru. Do uh... you wanna come in?" Then he smirked. "Or are we just gonna continue fondling each other in the hall?"

After he didn't get an instant reply from her, he took her hand anyway and pulled her inside. Shutting the door with a flick of his wrist. He led her into the living room and to the couch, as it was the only place to sit down at, rather than the chairs that were randomly around the room.

He watched as she sat down on the couch and looked around the room for no in particular reason. Then glanced at the kitchen door as he heard his brother on the phone (Most likely he was talking to his fiancee). And after a few long moments, he eventually sat down on the couch next to her. Leaving a few inches of space between them.

It wasn't until then that he realized that he was still holding her hand. he didn't want to let go. Her soft fingers felt nice against his, but just as he was starting to get too comfortable that ay, her felt her pull away.

"So uh..." he muttered under his breath, pulling his hand away and slipping it into his pockets. "What're you doing here? you aren't usually the one to visit us, we have to visit you if we ever want to see you."

"Sorry," she apologized again, making Hikaru raise his eyebrow. She leaned back into the cushions of the couch, giving off a long sigh through her parted lips. "I wouldn't have come, but I just wasn't in the mood to have dad yell in my ear and give me lectures about how men only want one thing."

"One thing." he repeated, looking down at his lap as he copied her pose and leaned his head bak into the cushions.

"Yeah... he was just mad because me now ex-boyfriend broke up with me," Haruhi mentioned airily, looking off to the side where she didn't seem to notice how Hikaru suddenly looked upset. "I don't really know what I did wrong this time though. He just called me out to dinner and told me that it just wasn't going to work out between us, and then he walked away."

Hikaru frowned, crossing one leg over the other as he glared down at the floor, feeling a sickening feeling down in the pit of his stomach. The feeling he had felt earlier that day. "He didn't say why? he just walked out on you?"

"That and that he didn't' see how it was going to work out with me and my reputation," she said lightly, sinking into the couch, subconsciously leaning closer to him when she moved. "I didn't think I had a bad reputation... unless he's talking about that fact that I can't stay very long in a relationship. And that I've gone out with a lot of guys."

"...I don't think that's it."

Haruhi looked back up at him, her brow narrowed oddly. "What am I doing wrong?" She asked, biting the inside of her lip. "I know I'm not much to look at and that I'm not good at talking and saying things they probably want yo hear, but I don't' understand what'sd I'm doing wrong for them to just walk away. I don't think I'm doing anything wrong, but I guess I just don't see it from a male's perspective."

"...It isn't anything you're doing, Haruhi." Hikaru assurred her firmly, folding his arms behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling. "Trust me, guys are just natrally born jerks and really do only want one thing from the women."

She looked up at him and glared suspiciously. "Personal experience?"

"New, just common sense." He didn't look away from the textured ceiling and took a deep breath. "Except people like Kaoru... Kaoru-people is really the only one you can trust. They won't try anything until you're married, and maybe an extra three days just to make sure they married the right person."

She snorted, rolling her eyes as she brought her feet up and folded her legs beneath her, getting comfortable. "Strange advice... I guess, after all these years I don't know how to talk to guys."

"It isn't what you say t them, it just matters who your friends are and who you're going out with." He mentioned, finally looking away from the wall and looked down at her, but her gaze was averted to her shoes she kicked off. "You really can't trust anyone these days."

Haruhi didn't know that he was actually referring to himself.

"Besides," he continued, his blush facing quickly, and his skin tone turning back to normal. "You can talk to me and Kaoru jut fine. You just... aren't going out with the right people. You need someone more innocent."

"I can talk to you because you're not a guy." Frowning in discouragement, Haruhi slumped deeper into the couch. "...You were just always there. I have never really thought of you as a man. You're still the person I went to school with, like you never grew up."

"I don't know if that's a good thing or not..."

"I guess, it just depends on how you want to look at it," she shrugged, all of a sudden she registered how close they had gotten and felt his warm skin against her bare arm, as she wore a tank-top, and turned her head towards him. Their eyes instantly meeting contact.

They stayed as such for longer than they meant to. They breathed on each others faces they were so close, and after a few more seconds, Something was finally said, interrupting the comfortable silence.

"Haruhi..." he said lightly, ready to confess. He was going to do it. Confess to everything, confess to her, for a second time. But that confession never came.

"After another moment, Haruhi blinked and pulled her face away just a little. "...What?"

He hesitated. "...Nothing, I just... Would you go with me to my brothers wedding? I mean, ya know... Just as friends."

She raised her eyebrow. "Just as friends?"

"Yeah... just friends."

She only nodded in agreement, but Hikaru couldn't help himself anymore from being so close to her, and leaned his face closer, hesitantly taking her lip in his. He didn't plan on it, it just happened.

He had never kissed her before, and it was a move that was twinged regret as he pressed his mouth into hers more, she made a noise of surprise. And once she fully registered what they were doing, she quickly pulled away, pressing her hand to his chest.

She stared at him opened-mouthed, with her eyes wide as though she had just seen something horrific. "Wha-... what're you doing?"

Hikaru was speechless. His face flustering in embarrassment. He hadn't gotten embarrassed for kissing a girl not even his first one. "I-... I uh..."

Her cheek turning a dark crimson, Haruhi straightened herself out and stood up, blinking furiously as she didn't believe she had just kissed her best friends on the lips. She slipped her shoes back on and stood upright. "I um... I'm gonna go. I'll uh... um... yeah."

"Haru-" he stood up with her and tried to grab her hand to pull her back and explain himself, but she was already out of his reach. He walked after her, but she open the door and nearly slammed it in his face.

And he stood there, gripping the doorknob, feeling completely and utterly rejected.


	6. Oh Can't You See?

**Oh Can't You See?**

* * *

_One week and a half later ~_

* * *

_I did something that I probably shouldn't have done. I think I've complicated our relationship. All because I'm selfish and want her attention; all her attention._

_I kissed her, and while I regret doing it, I have to be honest with myself._

_I liked it. For those three intoxicating seconds, I felt the happiness I've been trying to achieve for over ten years. Before, I wasn't sure what kind of happiness I was looking for, I didn't know what it would feel like._

_But that strange sinking feeling I had in my stomach, and the in-lighting flutter my heart made, made me feel happy._

_I kissed her, and while I felt extremely happy from it, I can tell that she didn't feel the same._

_That was something that made me feel sick. _

_But that kiss, while not the most intimate, was the only kiss I genuinely meant. I have been with plenty of woman, and have kissed most of them, but I have never felt the way with them as I did with Haruhi, if only it had lasted a little longer._

_Only if she hadn't have pulled away so soon. I could have explained myself, and I could have told her how I felt, but it just didn't happen._

_But I liked that kiss so much that I'll be damned that I'll let some stranger on the street enjoy that kind of feeling from her._

_I'm... protecting her, aren't I?_

In his and his brother's apartment, Hikaru stood in the shower, letting the hissing water rain down on his bare chest. He had already washed his hair, and now just enjoyed the hot water on his body, tinting his skin pink.

He had always been known to be the twins to take unnecessarily long showers, but only because he was busy always make life decisions in the shower. He took a deep breath and ran his long slender fingers through his wet auburn hair, that was darkened by the water, and tried to deaden his headache.

He took a deep breath and nearly choked on hot steam. He squinted his eyes shut and leaded his head against the tiled wall of the stand-up shower, feeling the condensation against his sweaty forehead.

It was a mistake... He admitted, his hormones and inner feelings took over his movements and he leaned in and kissed her. She must hate him now. He hadn't seen or heard from her in over a week, so she must feel some type of way if not angry.

Thinking about her made his heart ache. Which was stupid he thought. He had been with one too many woman to feel such emotions about one. For so long he had, had these ridiculous feelings for Haruhi, and she never returned them.

He thought being a crazed womanizer, with all these woman at his feet would help him, but it had only made it worse. They had just reminded him that, while they were all full of lustful love for him, the one he wanted would never feel anything special towards him.

And While he hadn't had any relations with any random woman in a few months, it still didn't justify his actions. Now he felt dirty, and no amount of the blazing hot water could make him feel any different.

"She as right..." He muttered under his breath, mussing his tangled wet bangs, referring to what his past ex-lover had told him. "...I am a bastard."

"A very big bastard, but that's okay._ I_ still love you."

"..."

Hikaru's eyes went wide as he heard a voice coming from behind the shower curtain. He had a sense to cover himself, and instantly felt his cheeks burn dark red, and it wasn't because of the water.

He was silent for a few moments, and took another deep breath of hot stream through his long as he waited for his heart rate to slow down. He bit his lower lip in annoyance and stepped away from the water, gripping the dark green curtain in his balled up fist, thrusting it open with one swift motion, though he was careful not expose himself.

He poked his head out, a frown sunken into his features.

"Kaoru..." He grumbled, feeling the cold air from around the other side for the curtain, Hikaru glared at his little brother who was causally sitting on the toilet seat. "What're you doing in here? Get out."

"It's nice to see you too," Kaoru smirked, his legs were crossed and he was reading a magazine. He looked quite comfortable. "Ya done yet?"

Hikaru glared. "_Again_... what're you doing in here? This is an invasion of my privacy. How did you even get in here?"

"...The door?"

"I didn't hear you come in!"

"You were probably too busy talking to yourself."

"How long have you been sitting there?"

"Well lets see..." Kaoru muttered putting the book on his lap as he glanced at his watch. "Ayumi got here about eight, and you were in the shower for about ten minutes since I got in here so..." he glanced back at his brother. "About twenty minutes."

Hikaru pursed his lips, gripping the shower curtain to the wall, his upper chest being the lowest part of his exposed to his little brother. "_Get out_."

"I can't."

He took another deep breath. "Unless you plan on hopping in with me, I don't see why you _can't_."

"I'm hiding out."

"..."

"..."

"Get out."

"You know, you've been in there for ages," Kaoru sighed, laying his el bow on his knee, resting his chin in his palm. "I had no choice but to come in here, you should have locked the door."

"I didn't think I had to," Hikaru breathed in annoyance, slamming the curtain close again. "You weren't here _earlier_... In fact, you weren't here last night either."

"Yeah... I was out."

Hikaru huffed, he was thinking about staying in the shower for about five more minutes, but since he found out that his brother was in there with him he didn't see the need to. It had already been interrupted. He sighed and turned off the water.

"What're you hiding out for?" he grumbled, leaning into the shower wall, searching for a towel to wrap around himself for coverage. "Unless you're being chased by the Yakuza, I think it could have waited." He said, when something crossed his mind. "And why the bathroom? Go hide out in your bedroom!"

"Shhh!" Kaoru frowned, placing his finger on his lips. "She'll hear you. You'll get me in trouble."

"Who?"

"Ayumi..." He looked over his shoulder, looking at the door. His ears searching for any sounds that would indicate that she was near. Luckily there wasn't. "See... I was at her apartment last night and-"

"_Ohhh? _so that's why you didn't come home_._"

"Shut up, we didn't do anything."

"_Oh_."

"Anyway..." Kaoru scowled, continuing. "I was at her apartment and this morning I left, but I didn't know she had plans, and now she's down stairs slightly mad at me, and I said we would finish our conversation once I took a shower... I didn't want one, so luckily you were in here already so I was just sitting here... hiding."

Hikaru poked his head back out, his brow raised. "_Seriously_?"

Kaoru handed him a towel with a knowing nod.

Snatching the towel from his twin, he wrapped it around his waist and slammed the curtain open, still glaring. "You're such a... well get out and make her happy, let me change."

"I don't wanna go in there with her alone," Kaoru replied with a pout. "She gets scary sometimes. And to be honest... she's kind of making me uncomfortable lately."

"...uncomfortable?"

Kaoru opened his mouth to explain but slowly closed it again, then after a few moments of just staring at his brother's strange look, he gave in. "Well... I slept over at her apartment last night cause she kind of guilt tripped me, saying she was lonely, and we are engaged but..."

"_But_?"

"I didn't sleep_, sleep _with her. Ya know? We kind of fell asleep on the couch while watching a movie and..."

"_And_?"

"I-...I think I might be jumping into something I'm not quite ready for."

Hikaru rolled his eyes. "Kao, if you want to continue to be what you call a '_gentleman_' than you don't have to sleep with her. Wait till your married like you want to, I don't care."

"She... she doesn't want to wait."

"Well then, I'd say that's every mans dream. Be a man Kao."

Kaoru, despite being in his mid-twenties, flustered like a school girl and threw a shampoo bottle at his older brother. "That's not what I meant! Listen to me, I know you're the perverted one. Don't corrupt me too."

"It's impossible to corrupt you, Kaoru." Hikaru shook his head and grabbed a smaller towel off the handle near the sink and rubbed his wet hair. "And why are you in here? go talk to your fiancée, I have to get changed. I've leaving."

"You're leaving?"

"I _do_ have a life, Kaoru."

"...Well, right but... could you wait a little bit?"

"What is this? Bathroom consoling? get out and talk to you woman so I can get dressed in peace."

"It's okay, I won't look."

"_Out_."

"It's just..." Kaoru mumbled under his breath, folding his arms behind his head as he leaned against the back of the toilet, completely ignoring his brothers words. "I hate to say this really but... I've been thinking lately that... maybe I'm not ready to get married just yet."

With a toothbrush in his mouth, Hikaru turned to his twin with a look of surprise, but his look soon faded as he spit out his toothpaste and pointed his toothbrush at him like a sword.

"What?" he exclaimed, his eyebrow twitching. "What do you mean _not ready_? You're getting married in three months, Kao. Kind of late to chicken out."

"I know that's why I'm just gonna have to bite the bullet in this one," he pouted again, with his lips out as if he was expecting a kiss. "It's just that she's overwhelming me in all this marriage stuff. Today she want's to window shop for houses. We're not married yet, and... she wants a lot of kids and... and stuff."

Hikaru snicked. "Uncle Hikaru does have a nice ring to it."

"...But I'm not ready for kids, maybe after a few years of marriage, but not right _now_."

"You get cold feet, and she'll kill you."

Kaoru threw his hands up in agreement. "I know!"

"I don't know why you're in here talking to me about this..." Hikaru sighed, looking in the mirror as he fiddled with his damp, towel dried hair, patting his cheeks, wondering if he should shave or not. "If you're looking for some sort of advice for something, I'm not sure if I'm the right person for that."

"Oh I know that," Kaoru gave him a furrowed brow look. He might as well have shot a real arrow to his brother ego. "You just asked what I was doing in here, so I thought since we're having moment, we'd bond."

Hikaru glared once more at his brother. "...But I'm still... _naked_."

"Are you embarrassed? I could strip too but then it would be weird."

"It's not weird _now_?"

"No, cause I'm not the one who's naked."

Hikaru sighed again. He adjusted his towel around his waist and looked at the mirror one more time before grabbing his cologne from the cabinet and going to the door. He shot his brother another scowl of disapproval after he had interrupted his nice shower, and opened with a big swish, shivering to the cold air.

He wasn't embarrassed about being in the middle of the upper hall of his apartment, exposed to the elements with just a towel covering him. It was his house, and on occasion when no one was there, he would sometimes walk out of his bathroom with only a towel, as his bedroom was just a few feet away.

He ran his hand through his still damp hair (he would have used a hairdryer but he had forgotten about it) and made his way to his bedroom door, it was slightly opened from when he had last came from it and sighed heavily, rubbing his forehead as his migraine still had yet to fade.

His mind traveled back to the kiss he shared with Haruhi, and his head hurt even more. It pained him knowing that, that was most likely not her first kiss, as she's had many boyfriends, and he couldn't help but wonder how intimate those other kisses had gotten.

He loved her, but she didn't love him, yet he was determined to win her over soon. Now that Haruhi was single again, he hoped not to see another guy next to her ever again.

"Kaoru!"

While a mere two feet from the doorknob to his room, Hikaru jumped slightly as a high pitched female voice called out to him from from behind his back. He stood still more a few moments before turning around hesitantly, being greeted with the pretty face of his brother's fiancée.

He only stared at her for a few seconds before she ran up to him, throwing her arms around his neck. His eyes went wide as he stumbled backwards, his back hitting the wall. And in the next moment, his eyes went impossibly wider as he felt her mouth come down on his face, capturing his lips in hers.

With his back to the wall he put his hands up, at his sides, not really sure what to do as he felt one of her hands trail up into his hair.

As her teeth started pulling on his bottom lip, and finally his common sense kicked in. He grabbed her shoulders and jerked her away, his face wearing a freaked expression. "Oh my god!"

"Kao...?" Ayumi blinked, his hands still on the shoulders of the man in front of her. She cocked her head to the side and smiled. "You were in the shower for a long ti-... time... Oh my god!"

"Oh god, no! wh...what is wrong with you?!"

"Wrong with me!?" She snatched her arms away and backed away, glaring at her fiancée's brother, who she just kissed. "What the hell!? I thought you were Kaoru!"

"No! No why-... why would you do that! gross, and I just brushed my teeth, ugh! god!"

"Then where's, Kaoru?!"

"Your little boyfriend is in the bathroom..." Hikaru gasped, leaning against the wall, wiping his mouth. He inhaled sharply then glared at the bathroom door. "Damn it, Kaoru. You set me up!"

"What's the matter with you guys? why are you yelling?" Kaoru muttered, poking his head out from behind the door, he caught their stare and blinked, oblivious to what just happened. "What? what happened?"

They just glared."

After a few moments, Hikaru ran his hand through his hair again and walked away to his room to finally change, wondering if his day could get any weirder.

* * *

After his weird moment with his future sister-in-law, Hikaru got dressed as fast as he could and left the apartment as though it were on fire.

After getting into his black AM V12 and driving aimlessly around town for almost two hours, feeling slightly used, he finally found his way to Haruhi's apartment, figuring that if he wasn't going to stay home, then he might as well go apologize.

He wasn't sure how long he had sat in the parking lot of her apartment building, thinking, but he looked down at his watch and noticed that it had been almost three hours since he left his place.

Now he was staring at his watch, while standing in front of Haruhi's door. He didn't know what he was going to say to her, and he was a bit hesitant after the kiss, that it just seemed awkward to even think of her face. He didn't want to apologize, as he liked it so much, but her face when they pulled away from each other that day, told him that she didn't feel the same way.

He must have caught her off guard, even for Haruhi. He wasn't expecting her to just walk away after the kiss, or slam the door in his face.

Inhaling deeply, slowing letting out air from his parted lips, he stared at the door number on the apartment door and chewed on his lip anxiously.

"No more games..." he muttered to himself, turning his hand over, knocking on the door with the back of his fingers.

He stood there idly for a few long moments in a pregnant silence, waiting for the door to open. He didn't necessarily look in the lot for her car to make sure she was home, but it was Sunday evening, and she wouldn't be at work.

She'd be sitting on the couch probably, with a book and a cup of coffee. Her hair would be tangled and wet from a shower, wearing a simple t-shirt and sweat pants. She'd be annoyed with him at first for interrupting her meaningless nap.

He really did love her, everything to the weird way she ate tuna, to her ugly baggy male clothes. The way she thanked awkwardly, and the way she'd blush when embarrassed. When they kissed, she looked so beautiful.

He knocked again.

He remembered the time in high school when Kyouya auctioned off her cheap pencil, and how mad she had gotten over it. He couldn't imagine how she'd take it once he would tell her that he had been lying about her to so many random men for years.

He was going to come clean, and apologize. If she was mad at him, he'd just have to make it up to her.

The door made a smooth creaking sound as it opened, and he looked up and stood up straight in one swift motion. His stuffed his hands into his pockets and smiled lightly at the pretty face he'd be greeted with.

Though the face he was greeted with, wasn't the face of his pretty petite Haruhi. It was a male, tall and handsome.

Hikaru's smile faded and he narrowed his eyes in confusion, looking upon the man in front of him, with dark brown hair, and a stubble chin, Hikaru held his breath and just stared at him, not expecting a _man_.

The man looked familiar, but he couldn't place a name.

The man looked at him, he wore causal clothes. A plain grey shirt, with it's sleeves rolled up to his elbows and a pair of dark faded jeans, along with a pair of brown leather sneakers. He was your regular run of the mill commoner, nothing special.

"_Uh_..." Hikaru grumbled, his hands deep in his pockets. "Wrong room..."

The guy blinked, he hadn't even said anything yet before Hikaru turned around, ready to walk away. Obviously he had gotten the door numbers mixed up.

Hikaru adjusted his watch on his wrist and sighed in frustration. Obviously he had so much on his mind, that he walked to the wrong door. He pulled at his rolled up sleeves of his brown button up shirt. It had taken him a while to pick what he wanted to wear that day. He matched himself with a dark pair of jeans, and black laced sneakers, silver dog-tags, and a random black and silver bracelet.

He was walking away when he heard a small voice behind him.

"...Hikaru?"

He stopped, and turned around instantly, from the sound of that voice. He froze as he saw it was Haruhi,standing in the same doorway as the guy, she laid her hand against the doorframe as she looked over at him, a tiny barely noticeable smile was on her lips.

"Haruhi..." he muttered back, staring at the two of them as they stood beside each other. "Uh... what're you-?"

Haruhi blinked in curiosity, as she leaned against her doorframe. Her black and white striped shirt was wrinkled from her small nap she had on her couch before she was interrupted by men. "Hikaru... what're you doing here?"

Hikaru continued to just stare at them and gawk, as though he was waiting for them to explain themselves. He balled up his hand into a fist inside his pocket and licked over the upper row of his teeth.

Haruhi blinked again, now confused. "Um... Hikaru, you okay?"

It was his turn to blink now, and he started to slowly make his way over to them. He gave the currently nameless guy a scowl of annoyance and looked back at her. "Uh... Could I talk to you alone for a moment?" He glared at the guy one more time, but the man didn't get the hint.

Then, as he realized that the man wasn't going to leave, Hikaru grabbed Haruhi's wrist before she could even reply to his request and practically drug her down the hall, despite her awkward muttered of asking him to stop pulling at her, and complaining that he was going to pull her arm out.

"Hika-... hey, what're you-... what're you doing? Stop pulling, where are we going?"

"Humph."

"Ya know, you have a weird way of saying '_hi, good evening Haruhi how was your day?_' but whatever... could you let go?"

"..."

"Hikaru!"

after passing at least six doors down the hall of the inside apartments suddenly Hikaru stopped stalking, and turned his head to look at her. His golden eyes dark, but not aggressive.

He frowned at her raised eyebrow. "Who was _that_?"

Haruhi furrowed her brow. "_Who_?"

"Don't act dumb. Who's that _man_?"

"...Keinji?"

"I don't care what his name is, I want to know _who_ he is."

Haruhi was silent. She looked over her shoulder to look back at the door she left wide open, Keinji was still standing there, looking puzzled. She slowly looked back at Hikaru and shrugged. "Just a friend you don't have to worry about him he's-... wait, why are you worried about who's at my house?"

"There's some creeps out there, Haru... I'm just concerned."

"...Okay, but... what're you doing here? You said you wanted to talk to me. Or... were you just _concerned_?"

Hikaru pinched his lips together and nibbled on his bottom lip. "Well..." he paused, looking up to see if the man was listening, but he wasn't. "Um... I wanted to apologize for last week, see... that was-... Uh."

"...What about last week?"

"_That_... you know."

"Uh..." Haruhi scrunched her forehead in thought, turning her head slightly, looking at him, waiting for him to explain further, so she could piece it together, but he was looked at her, slightly flustered. After a few moments it came flooding back to her and she gasped. "Oh! uh... yeah, that uh... that was a little weird."

"Yeah, I uh... I wasn't thinking and uh... I'm sorry."

_It was also on purpose._

"That's okay..."

"You were just there and I uh... I _slipped._ You left before I could explain though."

_Because I love you._

Haruhi nodded slightly, feeling her cheek heat up under the odd conversation. She rubbed the floor with the toe of her white slip on shoes and cleared her throat. "Yeah, sorry... You caught me off guard a little."

"Yeah..."

"..."

"..."

_Love me back. I want to be the one who makes you happy._

Hikaru opened his mouth. He was about to confess everything he had done wrong, and apologize for it all, and not just the kiss that he wasn't sorry for, but those confessions never came out, as the guy form the doorway, walked up from behind Haruhi. He instantly silence himself.

"Hey..." the guy muttered, only at arms reach from Haruhi. He looked at Hikaru and curled his nose in thought. "...You look familiar, do I know you from somewhere?"

_Oh dear god... he's one of them._

"No." Was Hikaru's immediate reply. "I-... I've never..."

"...Hmm... Your name wouldn't happen to be Ic-"

"Nope."

"This is, Hikaru," Haruhi said causally, tilting her head up to look at her friend, slash ex-boyfriend. "Have you guys met before then?"

"Well-"

"Nope."

"...What's the matter, Hikaru? you look a little-"

_Think fast._

"Haruhi," Hikaru blurted out, his lower lip was dark pink as he had been biting on it hard. He furrowed his brow and looked at her apprehensively. He didn't know what would be a good thing to say, so he let his mouth take over, rather then his brain. He almost glared and pointed a finger towards the brunette who stood between him and the other guy.

"We're going to dinner next week," he said without thinking, biting the side of his tongue before continuing. "We need to... you know, _talk_... Wedding, and Kaoru."

Haruhi cocked her head to the side and slowly nodded in understanding. "...Talk about Kaoru's wedding?"

"Right."

"Do... you really need me for that? I mean your mother-"

"_Yes Haruhi_. Be here next Sunday at noon, or I won't be happy with you."

"Oh uh... Okay."

Hikaru nodded, and with that, he walked away, leaving Haruhi and the man who just stood there in the middle of the hall, watching him leave.


	7. I know I've gone overboard

**I know I've gone overboard but I can't help myself**

* * *

Three days later ~

* * *

_I've made a mistake, and I don't know how to fix it._

_I regret what I've done. Earlier I didn't realize how bad this whole operation could be, but now I realize that I'm playing the job of fate and toying with people's lives._

_Though, of course I'm sure it's not that bad. Honestly Haruhi doesn't like any of the guys who go out with her, she's just too nice to say no. I'm doing her a favor. Right? I'm getting rid of annoying men who just want her for her for her pretty looks and nothing more._

_She's always been the type who's never shown interest in what someone looks like, and only cared about how that person acts and treats others._

_I don't see how any one could be mad about this. If any of those men really liked her, they wouldn't run so quickly after being told some little white lies. That man at her apartment was her old boyfriend a few months ago, then that means they must be going back out, and that she knows that somebody had spread a rumor about her having children._

_I can't tell her now that I'm the one who had told him that has said those things about her. I just have to make sure she doesn't find out. I have to be the one to be with her. _

_Though, somehow I feel like Karma is coming my way..._

* * *

"Are you two a couple or something?"

"No, we're just friends. We've known each other since high school."

"...But he asked you out on a date."

"Yeah, he's a little weird, but he said it's only a friendly friend date. We're just going to go to lunch I guess. His brother's getting married."

Walking down the street in downtown Adachi, Haruhi walked beside her friend. He was her ex boyfriend, but after he had broken up with her for thinking that she had too many kids, he met her again months later and apologized and let her explain. She didn't want to date again, so now they were just friends.

She glanced around the town there were in and sighed. She hadn't gone walking in a long time, but after going to her house randomly that day and stopping for tea, he wanted to apologize for thinking that, and that he just heard a rumor that she had kids, and got concerned.

She didn't know where he'd heard that rumor, but it was weird and only guessed that it was started by someone who didn't like her at work or something of that sort.

that date he asked her out on was a bit out of the blue, and random, and from his mouth it almost seemed forced, but she didn't say anything about it. She remembered how his face looked so beat red and how he wouldn't make eye contact with her.

It wasn't like him, he was so awkward that day. She had never seen him act so... weird.

Except that one time in high school, it was so odd. That day she had just been sitting at her desk studying, when he had stumbled in there to be with her, he was red from his cheek to his ears and could barely make sense, or form full sentences.

He almost looked cute back then, but now, that they were older; that he as older, it was as though he was angry when he looked at her like that. He looked angry towards the man who stood next to her, and he seemed angry when he invited her out to dinner, which she was suppose to attend with him in a few days.

"We're going to dinner," he said bluntly, so straightforward that she forgot to breath. "We need to talk about... wedding, and Kaoru."

Why was he so flustered and awkward around the Keinji?

She puckered her lips in thought and gripped onto the strap of her small messenger bag she had slung around her shoulders. She didn't know what to do. Of course she was going to go with him, as a friend. it was harmless wasn't it?

Keinji, who was talking beside her, had his hands in his pockets. She was silent, and the air around them was turning thick.

"That guy though," he murmured under his breath, though he was loud enough to get her attention as Hikaru was once brought back to the conversation. "I could have sworn I've seen him before. His face... and that _ugly_ _hair_."

"...His hair?" Haruhi raised her eyebrow. "...Well, actually, he has a brother, and their identical. Maybe you saw _him_."

"...Is his name Ichiro?

"It's Kaoru."

"Well... I guess they sound the same a little, maybe I got it mixed up."

Haruhi shrugged and they continued walking. "Where would you have met him? They aren't exactly the types to walk around places like this. They're... _really_ classy people." She didn't want to get a lot of attention for having friends who were near billionaires.

"It's just... he sounded so familiar," he pondered, chewing on his lower lip as he stared at a coffee sign while he walked. "I'm sure I've seen him before, he looked just liked your cousin."

Haruhi blinked. "...My cousin?"

"Yeah, Ichiro."

"...Ichiro? my... cousin?"

He rolled his eyes. "Yes _Haruhi_, you're cousin." He continued to walk, and kicked at a small puddle that was under his foot. "Well... actually your second cousin. Don't you remember? We talked about him."

Haruhi stopped walking and stared at the ground that sparkled with early morning rain puddles after that small shower they had earlier. She nibbled on the inside of her cheek and just stood there confused. "But... I don't have a cousin. Not to mention a second one." She sensed a hint of déjà vu.

"But he said he was your cousin." Kainji grumbled, and stopped moving until Haruhi picked up that pace and walked beside him again. "And he looked just like that guy, _Hibaki_ I think you said his name was."

"Hikaru."

"Right."

Haruhi started walking again, and scratched her head, mussing her hair between her fingers. "This is irritating now... I don't have a cousin."

"Second cousin."

"What the hell is a second cousin? Do those things even exist?"

"I dunno. I've only heard that phrase in movies."

"...How would it be possible to be a second cousin? Does that mean your cousin would have to have kids? or... do you have to remove your cousin and then add it again for him to be a second cousin? or... How do you remove cousins? their family..."

"I think you're thinking too much into this. Just call your cousin and ask."

"I don't have a cousin!" She pouted, hunching over, letting her arms hang. "Ugh, and if he looks like Hikaru then he's totally not my cousin, me and Hikaru look nothing alike."

"...Well maybe he's your long lost cousin?"

"That's even more impossible. My dad never had any siblings, my mom was an only child. I'm an only child. I really don't have any cousins. No second cousins, no cousins removed, no cousins added. None."

"Then why would he call himself your cousin?"

Haruhi pinched her lips shut and crossed her arms over her nearly flat chest. "I don't understand. And he's the one who said I have five kids all under the age of ten. I don't see who would say something like that. Obviously no one I know."

Keinji just shrugged. "I don't know. I only saw him that one time. He said his name was Ichiro when I asked, I walked away and I never saw him again. I guess he just looks familiar to your friend. Everyone looks a little like someone."

"...But, whoever you saw... why would he say he was my cousin? Did he mix me up with someone who was actually his cousin? who has the same name as me?"

"...I really don't know Haruhi. Maybe you should keep track of your family members more."

"My dad says I don't have any cousins either... Maybe you misheard him. Maybe he didn't say cousin."

"...Ugh, no, he said second cousin. And that... Oh yeah." He said, stopping all movement, causing Haruhi to almost bump into his back. He slammed his fist on his palm. "He said something about your guy friends too... You're best friends."

Haruhi scoffed. "Did he say anything about my third aunt that was twice removed too?"

"...It was awhile ago, but I think one of their names _was_ Kaoru. He mentioned it to me when we were at that café."

"I guess he does know me. But that doesn't mean anything. A lot of people know who my friends are... they're kind of famous, you could say."

Keinji just shrugged again. "Or maybe he was just crazy. I mean... he had this creepy grin on his face. It almost made him look like a... cat. It was really creepy."

Haruhi frowned. "...Uh-huh."

"Are you sure it wasn't him? he looked so much alike to that other guy. And he kind of acted weird."

Haruhi looked over at him. She narrowed her brow in disbelief. "Who? Hikaru? Why would he do that? I mean, he and Kaoru have been my best friends since high school. He couldn't have been the one to say that. He didn't know who you were when you saw him a couple days ago at my apartment."

He looked back at her and just shook his head. "I wasn't saying that exactly. It's just weird... Didn't you say, that dentist you were seeing broke up with you because of... _stage dancing_?"

"He called it stage dancing, but he meant stripper. He told me we couldn't date because_ I_ was a stripper."

"That's something I'd like to see."

Haruhi gave his a look, but as she caught his smirk she rolled her eyes. "And... my last boyfriend... he said this guy said I was a..."

Keinji raised his eyebrow as he turned to her. "...So you have some guy who wants to sabotage you, humiliate you? What did you do to piss this guy off?"

"...I dunno."

They started walking again, down the wet sidewalk side-by-side. Surprisingly it wasn't awkward between them she as she thought it would be. He didn't want kids, and she liked the idea of a family. They just wouldn't work out and they understood that. After that misunderstanding about her having kids was cleared up, they were now permanently just friends.

Haruhi pondered on the thought so much she was growing a headache and sighed, as she was coming up blank on a list of people who would be upset with her, to say such things. "...I don't know who would be mad at me... I mean, there's that receptionist at my firm who's jealous that I have so many, what she calls 'sexy friends' but... hmm."

"Just stop thinking about it." He shook his head towards all her thinking and walked up to a door to the coffee shop he had been eying. "I want coffee. You're not my girlfriend anymore so you're buying."

Thinking too much, Haruhi just nodded and didn't care. "Maybe I have a stalker..."

"I wish I had a stalker. Only if she's cute though."

"...I could die."

"If I do. I wonder if she's seen my shirtless."

Haruhi casted a glare over her shoulder. "You don't care, do you?"

"Not in the slightest. "He sighed, holding the door open for her, watching her walk inside. He followed her inside and lowered his shoulders lazily. "Care about what? You're second cousin who stalks you? It's probably just some homeless guy who has no life. Ignore it."

As they walked into the small café they stopped at Haruhi and Keinji walked to a small booth where they would get coffee and silently she slid into her bench chair. Her face scrunched up in a thoughtful frown.

If she really did have a stalker, it would he very awkward for her to ever leave her apartment without thinking twice, and would have the urge to but a guard dog. Though, what other explanation was there that would explain this strange auburn haired homeless stalker like creep?

She continued to think about it, and she glanced up at Keinji with a look of determination. Demandingly she thrusted her hand out to him and muttered. "Give me your phone."

Keinji just raised his eyebrow. "Why?"

"...I forgot mine and I... have people I want to call."

* * *

"Ya gonna tell her?"

"Quit pestering me."

"I'm just curious."

"Go away."

"You're blushing. I've never seen you so red since high school."

"Leave me alone."

Sitting in their apartment on their couch, Kaoru sat next to his twin. He had his arm around his older brother's shoulder. while he peaked at his phone, just to be nosy. Privacy was never a thing between them two of them.

Kaoru proved that after he had walked in, while Hikaru was in the shower.

To him it wasn't awkward, but Hikaru felt some way about it.

Oddly enough, he wasn't that effected by his brother kissing his fiancée. Sure it was a little weird to witness, but he knew they didn't like each other, and didn't enjoy for themselves, and complained to him about it later that day that it was awful and that he needed to control the other one so it wouldn't happen again.

He and Ayumi had talked about the wedding, and (thanks to Hikaru for snitching that he was having cold feet) he had confessed after some interrogating, that he wasn't sure he was ready to get married and have kids so early in life, and she understood and agreed that they would be married for at least a year before thinking about having kids.

Kaoru glanced up to look at his brother's face and he looked disturbed. He frowned and snuggled closer to him. "You seem upset for someone who just asked your high school crush to dinner. What's the matter? Feeling guilty?"

"Dinner doesn't mean anything between us." Hikaru replied solemnly, gripping his phone in his hand. "She has a new boyfriend. I only invited her to dinner cause I put in the moment."

Kaoru smirked. "You almost got caught."

"Yeah."

"You really should fess up Hika, she's gonna find out sooner or later. Might as well get it over with so this doesn't drag on for so long."

Hikaru shrugged, pressing the power button on his phone to look at the time. They weren't having dinner that day, but Sunday they were. He wasn't took excited about it as he thought he would. It wasn't something he planned on. If something took a turn, he'd get found out and he didn't want that.

His days of scaring away his best friend's boyfriends were over. He decided a while ago that he wouldn't do that anymore. He didn't want to play fate anymore. If someone was scaring away his girlfriends he wouldn't like it, and he didn't want to hurt Haruhi anymore.

Even though he loved her and she didn't, he was determined to make himself feel less guilty. He knew she had another boyfriend now, and would probably have no chance with her for a while, if they decided to break up again. But he wasn't going to play anymore games. It was hurting him more the longer he held out.

"I can't do this anymore," he muttered, catching his twins attention as he laid his head on his shoulder. "This feeling is eating me away on the inside."

"Guilt brother, it's called guilt. How many times do I have to tell you?"

"Is guilt supposed to make me want to puke?"

"Maybe you just feel really guilty?"

"I doubt you've ever felt guilty about anything."

"I hardly do anything wrong to people that would make me feel guilty, so no, not really." Kaoru smirked again and played with his brother's hair, as his head laid on his shoulder. "And I called it quits a while ago back in college, you just kept wanting to play with her."

"I wasn't playing with her." Hikaru grumbled, nuzzling his body closer to his twin's as though he was looking for warmth. "I was doing it for a reason. Every time I decided to tell her, she'd have a new boyfriend. Then it would be obvious if I'd tell her afterwards, then she'd get a new boyfriend. At first I thought she was just desperate but... obviously she isn't desperate enough."

Kaoru sighed, tugging lightly at his twins auburn locks. His older brother was just... dumb. "You wouldn't know that. Just because she's rejected you once... and we were in high school, not every seventeen year old wants to be in a relationship."

"Yeah..." Hikaru exhaled, closed his eyes, letting his brother pet his hair. Though he was sure he felt his start to braid it. "I just don't see-"

Knock-knock-knock

The men froze.

"I'm not expecting anyone," Hikaru admitted airily, and childishly cuddled up next to his brother who just laid returned his hug ignoring who was at the door. "Must be Ayumi."

"Naw, Ayumi's at her mothers house, preparing for bridal party I guess. They better not have male strippers."

"And I wouldn't have any company anyway period." Hikaru got more comfortable. "Just ignore them. It's probably just the delivery guy."

"Your boyfriend?"

"We had _one_ conversation."

The brothers got comfortable in each others arms and had no further intention to get up.

Knock-knock-knock

The knocks on the door were a little more violent this time and they both rolled their eyes.

"...One of your lovers?"

"I haven't been with anyone in a long time."

"Well someone's mad at you."

"Maybe they're mad at you."

"I don't make people mad at me. Everyone loves me."

Knock-knock-knock

Cursing under his breath that no one was able to take a nap anymore these days, Hikaru sat up and stood up straight after dusting his shirt rid of wrinkles. He sighed from the absence of his comfy spot on the couch and began making his way to the front door. Kaoru peaked his eye open to watch him, but soon just closed his eyes again, hugging one of the couch pillows.

Their apartment was large, and it only took him longer to get to the door as he dragged his feet boredly. He lost all tension in his shoulders as he reached for the doorknob, swinging the door open with a careless flourish.

He was quite surprised to se who was standing there.

Hikaru's eyes went wide as he made direct eye-contact with Haruhi instantly. The sad part was, was that she didn't look very happy.

His mouth gaped open. "...Haru?"

Haruhi looked at him with the coldest glare he had ever seen her give.

"You sneaky bastard."


	8. But It's All Because I Love You

**But It's All Because I Love You**

* * *

Hikaru turned to look over his shoulder to exchange a look with his brother, then looked back at Haruhi, who stood there still glaring at him mercifully.

He blinked. "Um... Good evening Haruhi?"

"Shut up."

"Yes ma'am."

Haruhi continued to glare at him, but slowly her gaze moved to Kaoru, who sat there on the couch sideways with a magazine in his hands. She looked back at Hikaru. "What the hell's the matter with you? you think this is funny?"

Hikaru raised his eyebrow , sticking his hands into his pockets. "...I don't know what you're talking about. Why uh... the sudden profanity?"

She pushed him aside so she could step through the doorway. he held his hands up and his eyes followed her every movement. He flinched as she turned back around to look at him.

"I'm a stripper?"

His face fell. "...Uh-oh."

Her expression got colder. "I'm... I _was_ a man?"

"...Haru-"

She held her hand up, and that silenced him. "What the hell Hikaru? You can't just go around saying those things! I-... Do you know what you did?"

Kaoru slowly looked away, muttering under his breath. "..._Busted_."

Hikaru flashed his brother a scowl, but his expression softened as he looked back at Haruhi. His body felt hot and his heart rate increased as he was backed into a corner. Not knowing what to say. He was just found out.

After six months of hiding it, keeping it a secret, making sure she wouldn't find out. She found out, and now he had no way of knowing how to justify himself. Could he?

"Haruhi..." he mumbled, biting the side of his lip. "I... can explain. Look-"

She stuck her nose up. Her brow was furrowed in aggravation, and grumbled. "Explain what? so you were the one spreading all those lies about me? Why would you do something like that? Now the whole street I live on thinks I work as some sort of stage dancer."

"Didn't think a nice preacher boy would spread that around," He admitted under his breath, than looked at her with desperation. "Look, I know it sounds bad."

"It _is_ bad, what's the matter with you?" She shook her head, throwing her hands up. "Also, we dated and I made you a hobo with my debt? We've never dated before, and the only time I've ever been in debt was because of that damn vase in high school! And we're not cousins. Thanks for the gave confusion."

"...Second cousins."

"To hell with your second cousins."

Hikaru frowned and ran a hand through his bangs, trying to piece everything together. "Okay, I know I was the one who said all those things but I didn't know that it'd go this far, see... it was just supposed to be-"

"And if It wasn't bad enough," she continued, not exactly letting him explain himself. "You told my coworker-"

"Boyfriend."

"My _coworker_," she glared. "Who - guess what - is a criminal defense lawyer." She glared harder. "And you told him I've been to jail."

"...And? I would have thought orange would have looked so adorable on you. I don't think I would have gotten offended."

"Now there's a rumor going around my firm... everyone now jokes about me having criminal record." Her expression changed from anger, to a look of hurt as she looked back at Hikaru after glancing suspiciously at Kaoru who looked as though he had no care in the world. "Who knows when I'll get another case thanks to that kind of information."

"...What a rude boyfriend, spreading such lies about his girlfriend..."

"That you started!"

"Lets be fair now. I may have _started_ them, but we've never dated, as you said very clearly earlier, so it's not like I wreaked some sensitive code or anything..." He said airily, as though what they were talking about, was not that important. "Look, harmless pranks that friends pull on each other, we'll laugh at this later."

"You think this is funny." She nodded, crossing her arms as she turned to Kaoru again, who was innocently flipping through a bridal magazine that was sitting on the table. That already made him suspicious. "Well at least I know now that it wasn't my fault that my relationships never worked past two months. It was _yours_."

Kaoru turned, to watch. He saw the look on his brother's face and bit his lip, looking back a the magazine he was flipping through, which he wasn't interested in at all but it seemed to make him look innocent.

"If it matter at all, he's been feeling a great amount of remorse for the last month since he told that last boyfriend of yours."

Haruhi turned back to Kaoru. "What? The one he told that I was born a man, but I got a change?"

"I can't remember, there's just been so many."

"Well lets' be honest," Hikaru muttered. "That one wasn't really a lie."

"I wasn't a man! It's your guy's fault I dresses like a guy for so long in high school."

"Well now, that's not really our fault. If you hadn't have looked like a guy the first time we saw you, we wouldn't have forced you into slavery."

"So I cross-dressed for a couple years, is that really a reason to go telling my boyfriends that I physically was a man six years ago. I don't know if you've noticed, but guys nowadays get a little creeped out about that."

"Well obviously that guy was either blind or just a jerk, cause you look too pretty to be a man."

"Don't think I'm going to forgive you just because you throw a few compliments." Haruhi grumbled glaring at Kaoru. "And what are you? his trusty partner in crime? were you in on this too? And just made me feel like an idiot this whole time."

Hikaru threw an arm out to his brother. "Don't get angry at him. He didn't do anything. I was the one who said all those things. Kaoru had nothing to do with it."

She huffed irritably. "And I bet that thrilled you to bits didn't it? Do you want to tell me why?"

"...Not really."

Kaoru sighed and slammed his book down on the coffee table as he stood up. He couldn't take it anymore,. His brother was just too... stupid.

"Don't give him all the heat, Haru," he said, flicking his wrist, looking towards the brunette who stood near the door. "This has been going on longer than you think. Remember that guy you were always hanging out with in college? You and him had a bunch of the same classes together. Oh... what was hi name?"

Haruhi furrowed her brow, trying to remember what he was talking about. It took her a few moment to remember. "...Yamato?"

"And then he suddenly stopped talking to you for some reason?"

"...Right?"

"Yeah, well that was me."

Both Hikaru and Haruhi flashed the same cold glare towards him.

"Kaoru," Hikaru muttered, finally breaking his long time stare at Haruhi, to look at his brother. "Shut up, this doesn't have anything to do with you.'

Kaoru waved his hand towards him, silently telling him to shut up, and he threw his arm over his shoulder. "And remember that guy you said you were dating before you left for Boston? But after a month he stopped all contact between the two of you?"

"...Yeah?"

Kaoru hesitated, licking his teeth. "...That was me too."

Hikaru's mouth fell open. "N-... no! No it wasn't! That... that was... that was both of us."

"It might have been both of us, but I was the smart one, thinking of ways to make him stop talking to her."

"Kaoru!"

"What brother? I can't let you take all the heat. You weren't the only one ruining her life." Kaoru said, speaking to his twin as he looked at her. "Although Haru, I will admit that I haven't messed with any of your relationships since college. It was just a game to us back then. After I met Ayumi I haven't said a thing. It was all this guy."

Haruhi looked between the two of them. Her shoulders lost all tension from her anger and she just stood there, looking as though they had just kicked an innocent puppy right in front of her. "...Why?"

Both men exchanged glances, and as Hikaru was about to open his mouth, Kaoru cut him off.

"Well... We both have two completely different reasons as to why."

"...And what are those?"

Hikaru was silent, prying to god that his brother wasn't going to be evil and confess for him. Many times he had threatened to confess for him if he didn't hurry up and do it, and this just seemed like a perfect time to confess for him.

"See..." Kaoru murmured, nibbling his lower lip as he leaned into his brother. "Guys were always all over you in college, and... we didn't appreciate that very much . so... we'd kind of scare them off cause... we wanted all your attention that you had that didn't involve your studies. We were kind of jealous of all of them because you seemed to like hanging out with them more than us."

"But then after college, when you started to actually have more serious relationships..." he continued, making Hikaru shudder. "He just kept doing it cause-"

"I don't know why you're so upset," Hikaru blurted out, cutting off his brother with a rude retort, making Haruhi look at him. "it never would have worked out anyway."

Haruhi gasped, then quickly shut her mouth tight, glaring at him as though he had just offended her. "Well, it might have, If you hadn't have ruined it."

Hikaru glared back, shrugging off his brother's arm, and shoving himself away from him. "And I regret ever doing that to you, and I'm sorry. If any of those guys ever had real feelings for you, then wouldn't have hightailed it so fast when I said anything."

Her hands flinched, they stood so close together that she could slap him if she wanted to. "So what? you made it a test? 'Lets see which one of Haruhi's boyfriend's stay's the longest' it'll be fun?"

"It was never a game to either of us," Hikaru grumbled, knowing that there was no way of justifying himself, so he was going to be honest. "And it wasn't a test, but if they really did like you, then they wouldn't have believed a word I said, would they?"

Haruhi was silent, before eventually speaking in a lower tone. "...I don't care if they liked me that way or not, I was never serious with any of them long enough to care too much."

Hikaru rolled his eyes. "Then why are you making such a big deal out of this? it's not like I did it recently, you're back with that old boyfriend of yours anyway. No harm done. I'll leave you alone this time."

Haruhi shook her head lightly, with shakes so small it could barely seem like she was shaking at all. "...You don't get it..."

"Apparently not."

"Well for one, I thought we were friends. Well, you were my best friend at one point, I don't know when that stopped," Haruhi said quietly. "So I'm sorry if I was making a big deal out of this, I just didn't know think you'd do something like that."

Hikaru's face fell. "Haru..."

"No, I get it." She said, holding a hand up, glancing between "You were just so jealous, so you have my whole neighborhood thinking I'm some past male who had a change so I could pay for all my kids I had in a college marriage by stripping for the local drunks. Sorry I got upset, it's just hard to believe that my friend who say things like that."

He closed his eyes, pinching himself, trying to think what to say before he opened his eyes again. "I didn't mean it like that, Haruhi. I didn't know other people would know... I just-"

"Forget it." She sighed, turning back to Kaoru. "I'll see you at the wedding Kaoru, tell Ayumi I said 'hi'."

Before Kaoru could reply, she turned around and headed for the door. Hikaru gained a certain hint of déjà vu and instantly followed her before she got to far. She was out of the doorway and was shutting the door behind her before he got to her, holding the door open, and grabbing her wrist, keeping her from walking away.

"Haruhi, wait," he faltered, his heart thumping furiously against his chest. "I... I want to explain. I didn't do it just because it was a game, or I thought it was funny. I..."

She turned to look at him again, as he squeezed her wrist in desperation that was almost painful. "What? just... _what_? I've been waiting for a reason _all_ day."

He opened his mouth, but after a few moments of thinking it over, he couldn't do it. He couldn't tell her why, so he closed his mouth.

"...I don't know why... I was jealous. I'm sorry."

She jerked her hand away. "Then leave me alone."

And with that, she walked away down the hall. His hand lingered for a few moments longer before he finally dropped it at his side. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and slowly let the door slip from his fingers. It closed with a soft click and he laid his head against it.

"Well Haru, it's because I've been trying to confess my undying love to you for so long! that's _why._ That's why I scared off all your boyfriends." Kaoru exclaimed, throwing his arms up. "Dang it, Hikaru! I didn't just admit all those things and take half the heat for you just to say 'I was jealous, I'm sorry!' I did it for a reason, I thought you were going to tell her!"

"...I thought I was too..."

Kaoru sighed, throwing himself back on the couch. "I might have just lost Ayumi's maid of honor because of that... She's gonna be pissed at me if Haruhi says she's not coming."

"Nah... Tamaki won't let her _not_ come."

Hikaru stood up straight and ran a hand through his bangs. "I feel like I should go after her but... I don't think she'd want to talk to me right now."

"You should probably wait a little while before trying to talk to her again. Let her cool off." Kaoru leaned his head back into the backrest and stared up at the ceiling, letting his fingers muss his hair. "I like how she was more mad at you than she was at me. Did you notice?"

Hikaru twitched, turning around to glare. "Yes Kaoru, it was _hilarious_."

"That's not what I mean." Kaoru scoffed. "She seemed really ticked with you, but she let me slide pretty easily. It might have just been that you did more damage, but..." He smirked. "Who knows."

Hikaru frowned. "It's not funny. I... tried to tell her, I just... I don't know what happened. What was I gonna say? 'Haruhi, sorry about those boyfriends, but I love you, so go out with me instead!' it just... wasn't right, then."

"Tell me brother," Kaoru glanced at his twin, who was just standing there idly. "What exactly are you waiting for? I know you've already confessed and stuff, but that was a long time ago, and yeah, she's not happy with you, but If you don't tell her, the answer is always going to be 'no' for you. And Haruhi isn't her seventeen year old self anymore. She's not the same anymore, and maybe her answer isn't either."

Hikaru didn't reply.

* * *

_Three hours later ~_

* * *

"Haruhi, what's the matter?"

"...Nothing, dad."

"...Your eyes are all red? are you okay?"

"Fine... Long day. I'm just tired."

Ryoji watched as his daughter walked past him, rubbing under her eyes. He crinkled his nose and frowned. "Are you sure? You don't sound fine, Haruhi... what happened? Tell daddy!"

Haruhi shrugged off her jacket to hang in the tiny hall closet near the front door. "It's nothing dad, really... I don't feel good this evening. I think... I'll go to bed early."

He pouted, and wiggled oddly on the floor, flapping his hand towards the table that was layered with thin cardboard boxes. "Not before you eat young lady, get back here. Take-out was delivered to the house earlier. Have dinner, then go take a nice long bath, then see how tired you are."

She turned to her father with a raised eyebrow. "Take out was delivered? you didn't tell me you were going to order out. If you were hungry you should have called. I would have come home earlier to cook..."

He smirked. "Actually, it was delivered here by someone, I didn't call for it."

She made a face. "...By who?"

"I dunno. They didn't say." He laid his chin down on his hand. With his elbow resting on the table. "The delivery boy said it was for you, so don't think I just stole someone else's take-out." He giggled.

She raised her upper lip at all the expensive take out boxes. In a clear plastic container she could see piles of fatty tuna, so she knew it wasn't cheap take-out from her neighborhood restaurants. "By chance, did you get a strange call from Hikaru and Kaoru?"

"...No?"

"Just curious."

"Did you want a call from them?"

"No. I was just wondering. They might have sent that."

"Well that was nice of them. They know my favorites! And yours Haruhi. Now, sit. Eat with your daddy. He's had a long day to."

Haruhi sighed. "I'm not hungry anymore, either, dad. I'll just heat something up when I feel like it."

"Haruhi, you're being mean!"

Staring at her father for a few moments, looking at his face of desperation, she finally gave in and sighed in defeat before taking a seat on the floor across from him at the low table. She looked at the unnecessarily large pile of boxes for a few moments until one was pushed in front of her.

"This one's yours," her father muttered. "I had it in the oven on low to keep it from getting cold until you got here."

She stared at the food after she broke the lid open, and gazed at the large amount of her favorite sushi's that were packed into the box tidily in such an elegant manner. She glanced at the corner where a fortune cookie was and noticed a tiny slit of paper sticking out of it. She could only guess the it was some sort of cheap, corny fortune.

Not feeling as hungry, or in the mood to eat the tuna, she grabbed the cookie and snapped it in half, as her father was engulfed in a one-sided conversation with her about what he was doing at work that day. She listened subconsciously and nodded at something he said that she didn't understand and nibbled on the cookie, just glancing down at the fortune she placed on the table.

She narrowed her eyes in confusion as the fortune seemed to be written on, on both sides. She looked at the side that had a printed fortune in dark blue ink that read 'Doing what you love is freedom. Loving what you do is happiness'.

She bit into the cookie again and flipped the small piece of paper where she saw that more ink showed through that paper, only out of curiosity, it read:

'I'm sorry' in much blocky hiragana.

She glared at the note before ripping it in two.

"I hate men."

Her father glanced over at her, half an eggroll in his mouth, stopping his chatter. He paused to swallow his food and smirked at her. "I hate them to, darling. Why do you think I'm not one anymore? Why? did that nice boy you were seeing upset you again?"

She looked up at him, her eyes glazed over. Then looked back down at her food she didn't really feel like eating anymore. "No... I just feel slightly betrayed, I have a lot less friends than I thought I had."

"...Friends?"

She just shook her head, stabbing her chopsticks into the tuna she had been eyeing. Just because they wanted to be jerks, didn't mean she had to mope over them and waste good food. "Forget it... they're not worth my time I'm spending thinign about them."

"That's right, darling," Ryoji nodded, sticking another piece of chicken into his mouth, before jabbering on about what his co-worker told him about his step daughter.

Haruhi listened this time, now purposely ignoring her phone that was buzzing in her bag next to her.


	9. And I Can't Stop Thinking Of You

**And I can't stop thinking of you**

* * *

_Two Months Later_

* * *

"So... How do you plan to fix this?"

"I don't know."

"Didn't get that far?"

"Nope."

"Doesn't this bother you, though? I'm getting married literally in two weeks and Haruhi hasn't said a word to you in two months... She's not going to want to talk to you at the wedding and guess what?"

"Eh?"

"It's Ayumi's family's tradition for the best man and the maid of honor, if they're single, to dance together."

"...No."

"But it's tradition! It cannot be defied!"

"No, Kaoru."

"Have you seen Ayumi's father? Not only is he a scary veteran, but he's verbally violent and if his tradition is defied, he'll take it out on me! He has a weapon rack Hikaru, and it sparkles."

Hikaru let a sigh slip passed his lips. "Well too bad, Haruhi's pissed at me still and to honest, with the attitude she's been giving me about apologizing, I can't say that I'm too pleased with her either."

"Please make up with her. Please, please, please, please?" Kaoru begged, gripping his jacket in his fingers. "I can't do this anymore, Hika. Neither of you are talking together and the wedding rehearsal was extremely awkward."

Hikaru just shrugged. "I tried apologizing to her, but she won't have anything to do with me, and Ranka won't let me in passed the door."

"Well if my daughter's boyfriends were breaking up with her because her friend was telling lies about her, I wouldn't let him inside my house, either."

"I would. I obviously I don't want boys around my daughter and her friend was just helping."

"You just say that to justify what_ you_ did."

He groaned, leaning his head back. "For gods sakes, it's not a crime."

"No but it was kind of mean..."

"You know my reasons, so buzz off."

"I am a full supporter of _'telling people your feelings'_." Kaoru pointed out quite bluntly, moving his arms as though he was crating a rainbow. "I don't think the way you did it... was very nice."

"Well I know my reasons, and in my head it's a lot less dramatic than what you and everyone else is making it as."

"Well if you ask me Hika, I think you probably would have had better luck just telling her. That way, She's the jerk for rejecting you rather than you being the jerk by making everyone hate her."

"...That's true."

"Yeah..."

"Well it's too late now..."

"...You could still apologize."

"I tried that."

" Apologize to her using a fake account with a fake name on the media, that way she'll talk to you and consider your feelings, but won't reject you before you even get to that part, and then once she says it's okay, then you tell her who you are."

"I deleted my account."

"_Oooh_. Look at you."

"... Go away."

"But-"

"Just go away.

* * *

Two weeks later

* * *

"Oh, Haruhi. You look hot! Such a pretty dress. Do you feel pretty now?"

Haruhi, who stood in front of a tall floor-to-ceiling mirror. Her lips twisted to one side of her face as she fingers the soft fabric of her deep purple greyish bridesmaid dress with a sparkling embellished waist. Her shoulder length hair was pulled up in many pins, and was braided like a crown on her head. The pinned part was held together with a matching purple flower piece.

Sure, she felt pretty, but looking at herself, she looked too fancy and too done up. Weddings were nice, but dressing up for them wasn't her favorite part.

"I guess," she finally replied, after a few moments of thinking to herself. She turned to Kaoru, who leaned against the doorframe. "The dress is nice. Your mother really went all out on the bridesmaid dresses, huh?"

Kaoru smirked, not answering that. "Hmm, yeah. Your dad really likes his dress, I heard. She enjoyed designing _his_. He's not picky when it comes to sparkles and frills."

"Yeah."

"So..." He mumbled. His fingers idling around her braided hair, fixing stray ends. "I know this is kind of a... sensitive topic, and all, but... I just wondered if you'd be okay with, you know... maybe engaging yourself in a formal, all professional, all forgotten and forgiven completely innocent and none romantically-"

"Kaoru."

"Hm?"

"Get to the point."

Kaoru nodded, clenching his teeth. "See Haruhi, Ayumi's family has this uh... this dumb tradition and uh..."

Haruhi sighed shooing his hands away as he started adjusting her head piece for no reason. "What tradition? Something stupid like the maid of honor has to step on a cup?"

"Heh, no. It uh... The maid on honor has to, you know... if she's single, which you are, is to uh... Is to dance with the best man."

Haruhi titled her face, concentrating on the mirror as she fluffed up her bangs. "I guess if I'm single I have to then, huh?"

"Well you know, I wouldn't make you do it if I wasn't scared of my future father-in-law but..."

Haruhi froze, her eyes wide hand her fingers still in her hair. "...Wait a minute."

"..."

"Hikaru's the best man."

Kaoru grinned, nodding. "I'm glad you understand Haruhi!" He turned around and began walking away. "I was afraid you wouldn't. Well I guess I'll be going. I have to make sure Hi-"

"Like hell I am dancing with him. I'd rather die."

Kaoru stopped walking.

He slowly turned around, his lips pressed together as though he had just ate an entire lemon in one bite.

"...But Haruhi!" He whined. His shoulders dropped, looking pathetic. "Please? It's tradition. And he's the kind of man who really likes that kind of thing, and... you know, he'd so all psycho on us all if we don't do what he says and... stuff."

Haruhi shrugged. "Then I'll let Renge be the maid of honor. Ayumi will understand. I'll just be a bridesmaid.

Kaoru opened his mouth. "No! Haruhi. Your the maid of honor! You have to do it. You helped Ayumi with her dress fitting, you went with her to try cake samples. You made those ridiculously ugly wedding invitations. You did everything, you deserve to be maid of honor."

"Well you've lost your mind if you think I'm even looking at Hikaru, much less touching him during the formal dance. I'm not dancing with him. Maybe I can explain to her father about the situation."

"Har-u-hi..." He pouted, sticking out his bottom lip. "Ayumi's grandfather met her grandmother because they were both the best man and maid of honor. They got married afterwards, so that's why it's tradition. They've been doing that for generations. They did the same thing at Ayumi's brother's wedding."

She just shook her head, touching the collar of her dress. "I don't care, Kaoru. I'm not doing it. Find your lying, conniving brother someone else to dance with."

Kaoru crossed his arms, looking like a spoiled child who wasn't getting his way. "I wish I had done something good to do for you to own me something but I can't think of anything..."

"I've done so much for you, that you own me your life."

"I know, but-... oh! What about that time in high school when you couldn't find your pencil so I let you use mine? Eh?"

"After that you broke your pencil sharpener so I let you borrow mine." She sighed, frowning. "You also broke mine, so I don't owe you anything from that."

"...What about that time in Karuizawa, when Hikaru upset you and I faked being sick so he'd take you on a date, and he acted like a total badass when he comforted you in that church, huh?"

"That was Hikaru's dumb fault and I never-..." She stopped. "Wait... you faked being sick so Hikaru would-?"

"No! I mean... I thought I told you about that."

"You're a bastard."

"You had fun with him though, didn't you? Don't you still have all those weird knickknacks he bought you that day at those strange walk up stalls?"

"...That was a long time ago and it doesn't mean anything now."

Kaoru fell to his knees, making her gasp. "Please Haruhi? I'm begging you. I need you to do this for me. I'll do anything."

Haruhi made a face as he grabbed her hand, making her stoop. "...Kaoru, knock it off. I have to-"

"Please, please, please, please? I talked to Hikaru, he says he really, really, really, sorry!"

"No. I don't want to. I'm not dancing with, Hikaru." She said firmly, trying to pull her hands away from him. "You do know what he did, right? I'm not ready to forgive him yet."

Kaoru looked up at her, tears of desperation in his eyes. "I know. I talked to him about it. But since I was in on it too, how come you're only mad at him?"

"He's a grown man and he's been scaring away my boyfriends until now. My boss hesitates before giving me a case, and the whole block where I live is still talking about 'Haruhi the single mother, who strips for the drunks to earn a little more extra cash'. I can't even go to the grocery store without hearing someone talk about it."

"I know, I'm sorry." He pouted, squeezing her hand. "My brother's a jerk, and he should have thought of some other way to express himself to you, but he really is sorry. I promise."

"You're only truly sorry if you did it on accident." She turned to him as he stood up. "And Hikaru didn't do it on accident. What was his reason for saying all those things about me, _anyway_?"

Kaoru looked down. "I can't say. That's Hikaru's business but tomorrow is also my wedding, just so you know..."

"Don't you dare guilt trip me."

"It'd mean a lot to me, Haruhi."

"Nope. I'm not doing it."

"You and Hikaru are the only two people I ever hung out with in high school, and college." He continued, his lips quivering. "I really want you guys to make up, but that needs to be on your own time, but could you at least do this for me? As a life-long friend? I'm only going to get married once."

Haruhi just shook her head. "Hikaru's a bastard. I'm not going to dance with him. "I don't want to. I'm sorry."

Kaoru sighed, fixing his shirt free of wrinkles. "Alright, fine. I'll talk to my father-in-law to see if he'd have a change in heart, but if you're not going to cooperate tomorrow for the wedding, the least you could do is be nice at the dinner rehearsal."

Haruhi frowned. "Fine... just as long as I don't sit next to, _him_."

"..."

"..."

"...The maid of honor and the best man sit beside each other on the left corner of the table..."

She glared into the mirror. "Why?"

"Well you know, that's where Ayumi's grandmother and grandfather were sitting when they started having a romantic conversation..."

"...I hate you."

* * *

"But I want to sit next to Haruhi!"

"Well it's not up to you!"

Tamaki pouted and threw himself against the wall. "It's not fair. Haruhi doesn't even want to talk to Hikaru. I thought they were mad at each other?"

Kaoru rolled his eyes, heaving irritably as he reorganized the dinner napkins. Being the one with a certain obsessive compulsive issue. He turned around and started scolding a maid about how she wasn't placing the cups right on the table and once she began cursing him in French, a language he wasn't fluent in, he decided to fight with a maid who wouldn't snap at him.

"I told you," he argued back to the blonde. "I'm trying to fix that, so stop trying to butt in."

"I'm not butting in, but if Haruhi doesn't want to talk to Hikaru I don't know why you're forcing them on each other."

"I'm not forcing them on each other, Hikaru is really sorry for what he did but Haruhi won't accept his apology. He isn't doing it right." Kaoru flapped his wrist towards another maid who was asking him about the table cloths. "So I'm assisting them. I'm Hika's wingman."

Tamaki raised his brow, uncrossing his arms as he followed him. "You may be helping your brother but what about Haruhi? Aren't you straining her trust?"

"Don't make me the bad guy," he grumbled, walking between two chatting maids, reminding them to check on the dinner. "Besides, neither he or Haruhi know a thing. I'm trying to fix a relationship here, so butt out."

"Kaoru," Tamaki frowned, following him to the foyer. "You do know that Hikaru and Haruhi were never in a relationship right? Don't start playing match maker now."

"I'm not playing match maker, my brother missed his chance on that a long time ago," Kaoru grumbled. A maid stepped into his path, holding two different shades of blue cloths in his face. He pointed to one and she ran off. "I'm just trying to make sure that they talk to each other. If I keep pushing it on them then they'll realize that they're both being stubborn."

"If Haruhi's mad then I think you need to realize that you're the one being stubborn and Hikaru just isn't very nice."

"Pfft, I getting married tomorrow and I refuse to have my two best friends not speak to each other. I asked and they said they couldn't even pretend to like each other for one day!"

"...Maybe they need to settle this out on their own."

Kaoru whined, turning around to glare at the blonde over his shoulder. "That will take too long! They're the most hard headed people I know and I'll be having kids before they start talking to each other again!"

Tamaki shrugged. "Well Hikaru should have thought about that before he made her mad. Haruhi won't tell me why though. What did he do exactly?"

"Told lies to all of Haruhi's boyfriends so they'd dump her."

He gasped. "That's horrible! It's only an excuse to do that if you're her father!"

Kaoru rolled his eyes. "Yeah.. Cause that makes perfect sense."

"And... How did you find about this? Did he tell you or did she-?"

"Well I've know from the start but that isn't the point. Me knowing has nothing to do-"

"If you knew... how come you didn't do anything about it? If you knew Hikaru was hanging around Haruhi's boyfriend, and telling them lies, how come you didn't stop him?"

Kaoru opened his mouth, ready to come back at him with a witty comment. When he couldn't think of one he was going to tell him to shut up, but any words that he thoughts of died in his throat. He sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets and started walking up the round staircase.

"I've always told him that his course of actions weren't... right, but... Hikaru has his own reasons, and I wanted him to figure that out himself. And he has, but... now Haruhi won't talk to him and he doesn't know how to fix it."

Tamaki continued follow him. "You wanted him to find that out, but you still want to help him make amends with her?"

"Well enough is enough this has been going on for years and I'm tired and getting married. So are you going to help me or not?"

Thinking about it for a moment, sinking his teeth into his lips he couldn't say he really agreed with what he was doing, but the arguments he had seen and heard between Hikaru and Haruhi were not pleasant and it certainly wasn't right watching two people who use to be friends, bicker and drive the other insane.

"Well... It's still wrong and mostly up to them, but... how do you plan on fixing this?"

"There isn't anything I can do," Kaoru threw open the door to his bedroom he was using temporarily. "It's mostly trying to get Haruhi to forgive Hikaru and to get Hikaru to... tell her why he did it."

"Why did he do it?"

Kaoru never answered that question.

* * *

"And to think... after the actual wedding there's going to be even more guests then today."

"Mrs. Fujioka, you don't have to do the dishes. Please, let me assist you."

Haruhi turned around and smiled at the maid who was buzzing over her shoulder. "No, I got it. I want to do it."

The maid frowned, highly uncomfortable with someone else doing her job, but eventually lets the brunette do as she pleased, with a few more helpful suggestions and inputs on wanting to help or wanting to just do the work herself. After assuring her once more that she was fully capable of doing such a job, Haruhi dismissed her, and told her that it was the least she could do after doing nothing but having people wait on her all day.

She listened to the maids footsteps but they were drowned out by the gushing water from the facet. Shoving her hands in the hot water she instantly went to work on the dirty plates. Yazuha would understand if by chance, she found her in the kitchen doing what the maids were paid to do.

It wasn't because she felt her presence useless just sitting around while everyone cleaned up after the rich. She just couldn't find it in her to sit among the few people who she didn't want to even look at.

Kaoru was hovering around her, constantly making sure she wasn't mad at him, telling her how sorry and stupid his brother was, and with her other friends, determined to find out why exactly she was mad at Hikaru in the first place.

And then there was, _Hikaru_.

She didn't want to be upset, not with the wedding being tomorrow. She wanted to be in high spirits and socialize with everyone and have a good time. But she just couldn't do that with, Hikaru.

Half an hour after the rehearsal dinner Haruhi insisted she do everyone's dishes. For her, cleaning relieved stress, and now, she had a lot of it.

She scrubbed the plate in her hand so hard it squeaked and she put it down before she'd crack it.

"Haruhi...?"

She gasped and a cup fell out of her hand into the dirty dish water. She turned, but she saw him and turned back around, without a word.

"What do you want, Hikaru?"

Hikaru stood in the doorway, biting his lip. His hands were balled up tightly in his jacket. His hair was mussed, as though he had his fingers in it constantly. He stepped into the room slowly, his footsteps were barely noticed.

"Haruhi," he began, then hesitated. "...Can I talk to you?"

Haruhi reached for another dirty cup and held it tightly in her hands. "I think we've done plenty of that. Especially you."

"I know," he spoke quietly, "about all that... Haruhi, I didn't mean to. I didn't think it was going to go out this way. I just-"

"You didn't think I'd be mad at you."

He sighed. "...I didn't plan on you finding out."

She breathed and carefully picked up another plate from the sink. "I don't think you know what you actually did. But I'm not going to talk about it anymore."

"...I'm sorry, Haruhi."

"You've said that already."

"I'm going to keep saying it until you know I mean it."

"It's kind of hard to know what you mean anymore," she turned around, but she didn't keep her gaze on him long before she went to get more dishes from the counter. "If I accept your apology would you leave me alone?"

"But I want you to really accept it," he stepped behind her and tried to catch her arm, but it was ripped from his reach. "You don't have to accept anything from me, and I'm not asking you to. I just want you to know that I really am sorry. I didn't want to upset you, I just wanted those guys to..." his voice trailed off. Because he wasn't really sure what he wanted.

"I suppose Kaoru told you to come in here and apologize?"

"No, Kaoru left with Ayumi earlier. I can here by myself."

"Well I appreciate your effort, but I need to clean this up, and I'd rather do it alone."

Hikaru frowned, following her movements until he was beside her next to the sink. He looked at the giant pile of dirty dishes and silverware and his frown deepened. He turned to her. Her sleeves were rolled up and the bottom half of her shirt was wet from the water, and her already short hair was pulled back behind her ear to not get in the way.

She wasn't his, and after this, he was sure she never would be.

But she was too pretty to want to even want to keep his hands to himself.

"I really messed up," he admitted, clenching his jaw until it stung. "It started a long time ago, I didn't think I'd carry it out this long. I shouldn't have messed with any of your relationships with any of those guys, It's just that when I saw you with them, I didn't want you to be around them."

"It's been going on since college. That's a long time to spend to spend spreading lies about me to men who are practically strangers."

"I know."

"You didn't have to take your jealousy that far."

He looked down, watching her pick up a handful of silverware and drop it into the water. The pressure was getting to his heart, squeezing it so hard until he wanted to cry, run away and hide, and to bother about apologizing at all.

"It wasn't," he said, scratching the floor with his shoe. "At first, it wasn't that... In college guys just started swarming around you like flies. We didn't want you to get hurt."

"Well you did a fine job at making sure of that," her voice was firmer than she meant it to be. "Only my whole neighborhood, my coworkers, and all the guys I formally dated, think I'm a lunatic."

He cringed. "I can make this up to you. It was stupid, and I'm sorry. But those guys-"

"I don't want to hear anymore excuses, Hikaru," she fixed her sleeve that was falling down. "I already have to fix what you did, don't go ruining something else."

He glared. He knew he shouldn't be the one getting angry. He was the one who messed things up. He had made his best friend the laughing stock of her law firm, and the greatest taste of gossip for her small town.

All because he didn't have the guts to man up and face her again, but still, he was giving her everything

"I'm not excusing myself anymore," he said, barely breathing, "but I want you to know that I'm sorry. I thought I was protecting you but I went too far. I said things I shouldn't have, I wish I could take it all back, but it's a little too late for that."

"It's _far_ too late for that."

He continued to stare at the back of her head, glowering in both pity and self-disgust. A thousand times for the last two months he wished he could take back the stupid things he had done. They were mistakes, big bad horrible mistakes his brother warned him about, and he didn't listen.

He could say he was going to fix it, and he wanted to, more than anything.

But _knowing_ how to fix it was a different story.

"You should go," Haruhi spoke up, interrupting his train of thought. "Don't you have a best man speech to write up? You were saying how difficult it was going to be to come up with something nice to say about your new sister-in-law."

For a moment he hesitated, then nodded and turned around. Silently agreeing with her.

But talking about Ayumi wasn't going to be the hardest part about that day.


End file.
